Today we've got a special treat: a guest blog post from my wife Laura.
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Can of Bud
by Laura L. Perrin
I got my in-laws bundled up and on the road home to Syracuse this morning. They stayed overnight this week and last, coming and going to Miami out of Newark airport for a week's vacation. Nice folks--I'm really lucky. They even put the futon away and folded all the blankets before I could stop them.
After they headed out I got on the road myself to do my usual Friday morning errands. At the grocery store I'm moving pretty fast down the list until I get to the last item: one can of Budweiser. Hmmm. Now, I remember watching Dan going through his cajun cookbook last night, presumably looking for something good to make for Saturday night. He's used the fried catfish and sole recipes, and made hush puppies, shrimp creole and shrimp ettoufee. Lots of steps and exotic spices--for some reason I think "fancy" when he pulls out Paul Prudhomme, but I guess I have to change my thoughts on that. He's using Bud this time. I even called him at work to see if just maybe he could use the Corona Light we have in the back of the fridge, but no he says, it has to be a basic American everyman beer.
Guess there are drawbacks to having a self-styled chef in the house.
Where DO you get just one can of Budweiser? I have visions of myself pulling a can off the end of a six-pack in some liquor store somewhere, taking it sheepishly up to the register and hoping they won't wonder where the other five cans went. Or worse, having to buy an ENTIRE six-pack just for the one lousy can for this recipe. Now I'm sorry to say THAT would definitely end up wasting away in the fridge.
So with the groceries in the trunk and on my way to the bank, I stop in at Turnpike Liquors hoping the nice man behind the counter can come up with some solution to my dilemma. Without much ado, he points to the chilled single cans of Budweiser in the refrigerated case right by the door. Roaders I guess? And he even agreed with me that some recipes just needed a Bud to make them perfect.
Cook More. Think More. Spend Less.
7 comments:
The Bush family have always been ingenious marketers. In the late 19th century, they made a pilgimage to the Hapsburg empire to learn the art of Bohemian beermaking and bring it back to the solid citizens of St. Louis. While traveling in Southern Bohemia - current day Czech Republic - they encountered a local beer in the village of Ceske Budejovice ("Tscechische Budveiss" in German and "Czech Budweis" in English) which was superior to any other they had tasted. It was BUDVAR - or Budweisser. It was called PIVO KRALU - "The beer of Kings." Now, the Bush's were smart businessmen, so they asked about the process, learned what they could, and returned home with a new idea and a new name for their beer for the sordid and solid of St. Louis - Budweisser. Not the "Beer of Kings" but, rather, The King of Beers." More than a century later, the trademark battle goes on.....
Now, apparently their marketing is so strong they have permeated the brains of cookbook authors and chefs everywhere, convincing them that there is no substitute for the beechwood aged highly carbonated beer that bears a resemblence to its Czech ancestor in name alone.
Still, an ice-cold Bud from a big can at a BBQ is pretty tasty.
Oh, come on! You could just add a small bottle of soda water (easier to buy in singles) or a glass of tap water for that matter, and it'd make no difference to your recipe.
"Gimee a Bud!"
I'm sorry, what was that? Did you say you wanted some yellow water bubble in it? ;-)
And don't even me started on their pathetically expensive marketing campaign in Germany during the world cup to displace good, solid local brews as the bier of choice....
Wow. Okay. Next time I guess I'll use Sam Adams, I promise! :)
Dan, you know those Pittsburgalers know about beer!
In Louisiana you'd just reach behind the seat in your truck....
Nice writing Laura!
I recently asked a coworker who's renowned for his wine collection whether he could recommend any good value wines under $30 a bottle. His reply: I don't even cook with anything under $30 a bottle.
You guys, methinks, have adopted a similar level of snobbery on the beer side :) So Bud is less interesting than the European-style YUPPIE brews out there, but it is far from undrinkable, not to mention uncookable. (At least to this Syracusan's coarse palate.)
Cool blog you guys. Keep up the good work!
Thanks Kevin--
I love it! Bring on the controversy! :)
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