A pinch of this, a pint of that

Chef Jim Sklaver suggests you eat your beer

By LLALAN FOWLER

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Don't you marvel at concoctions that perfectly meld two of your favorite foods? Chocolate and peanut butter, say ... or better yet, mac & cheese. What if this was taken a step further, and your favorite beverage was thrown in the mix?

Chocolate and beer! Cheese and beer!

This outrageously delicious suggestion is a reality. As the popularity of craft beer continues its steady increase, so does the interest in the creation of beer-inspired menus. One of Boston's own is leading the charge in the American refinement of cuisine à la bière.

When Jim Sklaver came to the Publick House as head chef four-and-a-half years ago, there were scant items on the menu that involved beer. Food and drink were kept separate, like mischievous teenagers. The menu would play matchmaker, suggesting pairings of beer with dishes, merely playing the role of sommelier.

Today, Sklaver is at the forefront of actually cooking with beer. To those who thought beer was only for throwing back while waiting for the grill to heat up, a number of top chefs would beg to disagree—but not a large number. Although no culinary school worth its weight in sour grapes would ignore the art of cooking with wine, almost none of them delve into the benefits of cooking with beer.

Sklaver says a trip to Belgium early in his tenure at the Publick House was a mouth-watering learning experience, with "a lot of tasting—that was the fun part." Belgians, known for centuries as the people who make good beer, are also inclined toward cooking with it. In fact, we suspect beer spouts from a faucet in every Belgian household.

What's so special about beer that makes some chefs fight through hell and high hops to master the art of reducing a Belgian, or blending a marinade with porter? Why not just stick with wine? Some might be tempted to say these chefs are just beer buffs who would rather take a swig of a good brewski over a sip of Beaujolais while cooking.

But according to Sklaver, it is the flexibility and variety in beer that makes it a challenge well worth the time. There are so many different styles of beer and so many distinct flavors within each style that the possibilities are endless. As for wine, "There are only so many Cabernets you can make," he says matter-of-factly.

Now, more than four years after his introduction to the world of hop-headed cuisine, Sklaver leaves a beer-infused menu legacy—recently moving from his position at the Publick House to running the kitchen under the same owners at Brookline's cusp-of-opening barbeque joint, The Roadhouse. Because he changed the menu at least twice a year at the Publick House, he was always experimenting with new ingredients and styles of beer. Any tasting of new drafts with the restaurant staff could inspire a new dish. Likewise, the flavor of a particular food might bring to mind a certain beer that could certainly enhance a recipe.

Sklaver's menu, now steeped in beer, no longer offers pairings of beers and dishes. He says he would rather leave it up to individual taste—"We don't want to force it down anyone's throat ... excuse the pun." Today, Sklaver proudly claims that 90 percent of the items on his menu have beer in them. To prove he's serious about this, he adds with a smile, "Even my Caesar salad dressing has beer in it."

[Publick House, 1648 Beacon St., Washington Sq., Brookline. 617.277.2880]

BEER COOKBOOKS TO TEST DRIVE

Belgo Cookbook by Denis Blaise + Andre Plisnier

Written by founders of the restaurant Belgo, specializing in Belgian beer and food [belgo-restaurants.co.uk]

The Brewmaster's Table: Discovering the Pleasures of Real Beer with Real Food by Garrett Oliver

Written by the brewmaster of Brooklyn Brewery [garrettoliver.com]