A few of my favorite things

My boyfriend jokes that he comes third on my list of loves—behind Oliver, the best little Boston terrier on Earth, and cheese. Of course, if push came to shove, I’d give up cheese for him. But the withdrawls would be rough. Beer is a little lower on my list, but I do enjoy a good cold one. So, in honor of Chico Beer Week, I set out to taste some local brews—and meet one of the newcomers on the scene—and make some beer cheese, because, well, why not?

I’d met Steve Kay, president and brewmaster at British Bulldog Brewery, a few times at tap takeover events—first at Miner’s Alley in Oroville and again just last week at the Oasis Bar & Grill in Chico. Both times turned into great fun. So, I was excited to head out to his brewery at the north end of town last Saturday (Sept. 8).

I’d been invited to the growler-tap party by Dann Trammel, an Orland native who’s teamed up with British Bulldog to spearhead its “American branch” with Specialist Brewing Co. An Army vet, he’s going with the military theme British Bulldog is known for—beers have names like Black Hops and MOAB (Mother of all Beers). My favorite that night was Bearded Bastard, a Specialist double IPA, but all the brews on offer were fantastic. Try ’em out for yourself—see the Beer Week calendar on page 20, or go to britishbulldogbrewery.com for a list of events.

Say, “beer cheese!” Boyd Atkin has been cooking for as long as he can remember—he has seven kids, after all. About a decade ago, he decided to make a career of it, opening Chico Catering Co. He jokingly refers to it as his “fifth career.” A few years ago, he and his wife, Vicki, opened Foodie Cafe by the Chico Municipal Airport and they haven’t looked back. Atkin invited me into his kitchen to make his well-loved beer cheese, in which he uses British Bulldog’s Freedom Scottish ale.

“I really like using local ingredients,” he told me of his choice of beer. “And British Bulldog makes a really good dark Scottish ale.” He even shared the recipe:

Foodie Cafe beer cheese

Ingredients:

12 oz. sharp cheddar

2 tablespoons corn starch

1 cup half-and-half

12-16 oz. beer

1 teaspoon Dijon mustard

1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce

1 teaspoon hot sauce

1 teaspoon salt

In a large bowl, mix shredded cheddar with corn starch (which will act as a thickening agent). In a pot on the stove, heat half-and-half, Dijon and beer to a slow boil. Add Worcestershire and hot sauce (not Tabasco) and salt. When it’s barely at a boil, add in cheese a bit at a time until incorporated. Stir frequently.

So, make your own or just head on over to Foodie Cafe (999 Marauder St.) to try theirs. For Beer Week, Atkin will be creating some special beer milkshakes and floats, too!