The brew I'm favouring this summer is: The Three Boys Wheat. As a Belgian-style witbier [white beer], it is based on perhaps one of the oldest style of beer that we still commonly brew in the modern world. And despite having that very European heritage, it still manages to be a perfect match with the modern Asian flavours that Kiwi cooking has embraced.
It's best served in: A glass and, as with Belgian beers, the grander the glass the better. In Belgium it is common for every beer to be served in its own, often ornate, vessel. I used to have quite a good collection of Belgian glasses, but since the Christchurch earthquakes I now have only two to toggle between. One is an open-style bowl-shape Westmalle on a stem, and the other a Duvel glass with a more restricted neck. Both are good, but you can substitute with a big red-wine glass if necessary. Pour with vigour to rouse a good head.
And goes best with: I had this beer the other day in a beer-food match dinner designed by Christchurch chef Jonny Schwass. He matched it with his Pork Lunch Box, a take on a Vietnamese banh mi. It was judged the best match of the night. The spiciness of the banh mi and the lemon and coriander from the beer worked perfectly.
My formula for a successful barbecue is: To be honest, I'm more of a "build a small barbecue and sit really close" type. I used to work in Malaysia and still like to visit there. One of the best things is the night food markets in every town. The small charcoal grills that just pop up at dusk and start producing that fantastic smoky smell and tastes are very special.
I know it's a bit weird, but one of my all-time favourite smells is that brief waft of a freshly struck match followed by burning meths on charcoal. That combination of aromas is so fleeting, so I have to make sure I position myself perfectly when I light the barbecue to get the full effect: just close enough to catch that smell, but not so close that it is overpowered by the smell of scorched eyebrow hair!
