Cookin' with Cynthia: Beer Bread (is there any other kind?)

Oh, you keep on buying cookbooks, the way a homely woman buys hat after hat in the vain hope that this one will do it. --Peg Bracken, The Compleat I Hate To Cook Book, 1960.

If you consider carbohydrates to be Satan's victuals then avert your eyes. Chef, caterer and North Sider Cyntia Petno debuts her recipe column with three cups axis-of-evil and one cup mother's milk (that'd be the beer, genius). Petno's congenial, thoughtful outpourings are a stark contrast to Dish's bitter blatherings and noxious nincompoopery. She's a whiz with a whisk. And very, very nice.

This being my first recipe column, I'd like to talk food. Food is love and kindness. Love of the ingredients (the best and purist whenever possible), love for family and friends, health, love of the process, love for the tradition, rituals, history, culture. The mind and mouth opening experiences.

Memories of smells trigger the security and safety of mom's kitchen or relive a religious experience, in or out of church, temple, or forest. The nutritious or hideously bad for you delicious, a quick bite, a meal that lasted for four hours, food passed to a stranger in need.

One of my best meals was a sandwich on the side of the road, shared with my dog Maxwell. Adventure is inherent in food. Will I like it? Will it make me sick? Will my guests or clients like it? Will it make me travel to new or old places like my aunt's kitchen when I was twelve, or an Indian or Asian grocer, to Tokyo, Berlin or just around the corner.

Made with Love and Always Share.

I thought something extraordinarily simple and delicious would fit the bill. Also being football season and cooler weather this will please all.

Beer Bread

 

3 cups self-rising flour

2 tablespoons sugar

1 bottle beer (room temp. and preferably local)

Add sugar and flour together add beer and mix (by hand) until soft dough is formed place into a greased bread pan and cover with towel in a warm spot for 45 minutes. Place in pre-heated 350 oven for 45 minutes. Serve warm slathered with butter.