Welcome back to Cooks & Kegs – where local chefs present a beer pairing that represents their unique beer and food perspective.  In this edition, we’re visiting Jen Biesty, executive chef of Scala’s Bistro in Union Square.  Chef Jen is no stranger to beer and food pairings, having helped put on a not too shabby beer dinner during the inaugural SF Beer Week.  This time, she’s focusing on the summer with a refreshing Dogfish Head Festina Pêche.

Festina Pêche is a modern twist on a Berliner Weisse.  Referred to by Napoleon’s troops as the “Champagne of the north,” this low alcohol, tart and refreshing summer drink is classically served with a side of syrup to sweeten it to taste.  In modernizing and “dogfishfying” this classic beverage, the brewers at Dogfish Head replaced the syrup with summer peaches, and then allowed the yeast to dry them out too.  The result is a tart, light beverage that sends your saliva glands into overdrive with one sip, and is a great refresher for unseasonably warm San Francisco evenings.

So what to pair with it?

Chef Jen dipped deep into the Scala’s menu, to pull out an ideal blend of summer and fall sensibilities.  She presented a duck leg confit, served with balsamic onions, grilled peaches, quinoa and watercress.

The tart edge in the beer provides a nice balance to the rich duck leg, cutting through the duck’s inherent fattiness. The whole dish is neatly tied together with the last grilled peaches of the season.  Combined with the depth of the onions and nutritional superfood quinoa, and you have a balanced plate, just asking for the kind of sparkling lift that this summer seasonal brew provides.

Tags: dogfish head, Jen Biesty, Scalas

This entry was posted on Wednesday, September 2nd, 2009 at 11:36 pm and is filed under Cooks & Kegs. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Both comments and pings are currently closed.