It’s always sad when the party’s over. With yesterday’s conclusion of Sochi Winter Olympics, life returns to normal. I no longer check the TV schedule and set my alarm clocks at strange hours. But what a party! Our national pride swelled to an all time high when the Canadian men’s hockey team captured gold medal and successfully defended Olympics champion title. Canadians across the globe put our lives on hold and glued to the action on ice. Chants of “We Are Winter” “Hockey = Canada” “Go Canada Go” were heard at the stadium, in bars, at homes, in a church, in a mosque, and on social media. Cheers erupted with every goal. Hockey is a key part our national identity and I am proud to be Canadian. Congratulations to all our athletes who represented Canada!
Aside from our love for hockey, Canadians also care deeply about beer. The two just go hand in hand. Due to time zone differences, the gold medal game was broadcast live at 7am in eastern standard time. Yes, our government made a one day exception to the liquor laws to allow bars to serve alcohol at early morning hours! Just because I can doesn’t mean I should. I am not much of a beer drinker so guzzling down a cold one first thing in the morning does not appeal. However, beer is versatile so I made a beer-centric breakfast to cheer on Team Canada.
First up was Spiced Stout Waffles (recipe from food52). Yeast-leavened waffles are awesome but require planning ahead. Adding stout and buttermilk to a quick bread recipe contributed plenty of complex flavours and bubbly action. The cinnamon and cardamom scented waffles came out super crispy and light. They did not taste like beer but the underlying yeasty taste was reminiscent of its overnight leavened counterpart. I highly recommend this recipe. Besides, waffles are so appropriate for breakfast.
The waffle recipe only used a cup of stout which left me with 6oz of extra beer. Does the term “extra beer” even exist in your lexicon? That just doesn’t sound right. To right this wrong, I dug up the recipe for Cheddar Chive Guinness Bread (recipe from The Kitchn). I made a half recipe in a small loaf pan using half whole wheat flour and a mix of cheddar and Monterey Jack cheese. What a treat! This eggs-free recipe depends entirely on beer to give it rise. Between the slight bitterness of stout, richness of cheese, and savoury taste of chives, it was a winner.
Given the right occasion and the right treatment, beer for breakfast can be absolutely delightful. I would totally make both of these treats again even when I am not up at early morning cheering for our hockey team. Team Canada, you made us proud.
