B Is for Beer is a children's book for grown-ups or a grown-up's book for children, depending on which side of the amazing cover you read first. It is a short, hardcover prize of a book written by my favorite fiction author, and Seattle's most insane man, Tom Robbins. Most of you would probably be more familiar with his novels Another Roadside Attraction or Skinny Legs and All. I once sat in the studio audience of an awful show just to be in the same room as Mr. Robbins while he was being interviewed. I guarantee, his books are like nothing you've ever read, and B is for Beer is no different. It starts out:

"Have you ever wondered why your Daddy likes beer so much? Have you wondered, before you fall asleep at night, why he sometimes acts kind of "funny" after he's been drinking beer? Maybe you've even wondered where beer comes from, because your pretty sure it doesn't come from a cow. Well, Gracie Perkel wondered those same things."

What follows is a goofy story, ripe with real-life scenarios, facts about beer, your regular, everyday nonsense from the wonderful Mr. Robbins and a thirst for something bubbly made of hops like you've never experienced before. This book, in fact, had me thinking beer for weeks. Which I suppose is normal being as I am Canadian. Here are some of my out of the ordinary ways to enjoy a fresh beer:

Chelada: A friend of mine from Guadalajara introduced me to these delicious drinks. It's basically just a beer over ice with fresh squeezed lime juice and salt. It is definitely not for everyone, but if you love citrus like I do, it's to die for. Plus, it makes your beer a little less filling. The Chelada is actually a tamed down version of the Michelada, which includes hot sauce.

The Beer-Can Chicken: My favorite way to prepare this, is to marinade a whole chicken overnight in either whiskey or beer and a bit of olive oil, then dust with fresh herbs, insert a half-full beer can into the chicken cavity, stand it upright on a drip tray on one side of your barbecue and put the heat on medium on the other side. Toss a wood chip pack on the heat and close the lid. Let the chicken slow roast and steam from the inside out, until the skin is golden-brown and the juices run clear. Let it rest under foil for 20 minutes, then enjoy with a Sleemans Honey Brown.

In tomato sauce: Take your regular, every day, tomato marinara and dump in half a can of your favorite beer. Capers like hanging out in there as well. Great on gnocchi or sopped up with Italian bread.

Use a tiny bit of Guinness to deglaze in a stir-fry: with it's slight soy sauce undertones, the flavors of a thick, rich Guinness are spectacular in stir-fry.

In Bread: Add beer to your favorite bread recipe. Dip it in your beer marinara.

Of course there are your regular beer recipes, like beer in stew and beer in chili, but how about some of these strange beer recipes:

- Beer Ice Cream
- Beeramisu: a Twist on Tiramisu
- Banana Slices in Beer
- Pale Ale Biscuits with Cheddar and Chives

Also, check out Stephanie's informative look at eating beer: Beer Me!

Be sure to get your copy of B is for Beer and, if you don't become an instant Tom Robbins fan, at least drink like one!

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