Last word on food and wine

Thanks for all the info you and others have been posting. I personally don't care for wine ( give me a Trappist doublebock and I'm happy!), but wine knowledge is important to chefs, so this has been a great learning experience.

Affligem isn't technically a Trappist, but I hear it's great. Of the Trappist ales, I've had Chimay, La Trappe and Westmalle. It's difficult to find anything but the La Trappe and Chimay. The abbey style ales ( Affligem falls in this category) are also very good. St. Sebastian's and St. Paul's are two nice ones. I think the best part of working in a German restaurant is that we carry all of these (and many other fine beers) except the Affligem and St Paul's. Ironic, considering the restaurant is in St Paul!

[This message has been edited by Greg (edited September 14, 2000).]

Don't know the technicalities of fermenting with wild yeast. I do know that there are some beers that can be aged. Rodenbach is a beer I've got to try; it's a true red, possibly the first commercial offering.

Great new topic. I favor thick heavy reds with almost any food (exceptions being oysters and clams). It is now trendy to drink white wine with cheese. A salty blue cheese goes well with a sauterne. Otherwise I stick to the reds. Most fish dishes can be matched with a pinot noir. Pairing is such an individual thing, especially to wine lovers, that it is very hard to give even the most general guidelines.

Um Ruthy a red is a style of beer.

And a style of wine! Everybody wins! A misunderstanding probably caused by my butting into this wine forum with beer. Just couldn't help myself, though; I'm from Wisconsin!