| One of the things I have always enjoyed is cooking. If I | | | | Cooking and Zen |
| had made some different decisions in my life, I might | | | | Earlier I wrote that I like to cook. I still experiment in the |
| have ended up a chef. | | | | kitchen. When preparing a dish, I will often go through |
| I was raised in the Deep South. I grew up on typical | | | | the spice cabinet, opening each jar, sniffing the |
| southern fare; cornbread, fried okra, black-eyed peas, | | | | contents and imagining in my mind if the essence will |
| grits and so forth. Not everything on the southern table | | | | work with or against the existing flavors. There is an |
| is fried, despite what some might think. In the summer, | | | | almost existential peace that comes with cooking this |
| we often had vegetable suppers with no meat | | | | way. It's very fulfilling. Sometimes you end up with a |
| whatsoever. Almost everything was fresh from the | | | | work of art that can't be duplicated. A dish created this |
| garden. We had fresh tomatoes, fresh peas, yellow | | | | way is glorious from the first bite to the last. Time |
| squash, cucumbers and cabbage along with other | | | | stands still. The stars align. The world, if only for a |
| in-season fruits and vegetables. What we couldn't eat, | | | | moment, is at peace. These are the Zen moments. |
| was either canned or frozen for the winter. My mother | | | | Beer and Zen |
| always made lots of vegetable soup. A bowl of | | | | In my quest for the perfect beer, I took up brewing. I |
| homemade soup and a grilled cheese sandwich | | | | finally came to the realization that no one is likely to |
| couldn't be beat on a chilly night in January. | | | | have the same palate as me. Oh, I'm sure many could |
| I like to think that I've carried the appreciation for simple | | | | agree that some beers were "good enough", but I |
| foods into my adult life. Yes, I do make the complex | | | | wanted a beer that I found to be perfect. |
| concoction now and again, but mostly I cherish the likes | | | | Like cooking, brewing is the perfect blend of science |
| of a good, hot piece of cornbread crumbled into bowl | | | | and art. Brewing beer is cooking. Sure, as a beginner, |
| of cold milk accompanied by a fresh green onion. | | | | you should stick to a regimented, mostly scientific |
| By now, you're probably asking how all this relates to | | | | process. You need to learn the ropes. You need to |
| Zen and Beer? I'm getting there. Indulge me a bit longer. | | | | learn how to pick and prepare your ingredients. You |
| I've been looking for the perfect beer for all my adult | | | | must gain respect for the magical process involved in |
| life. I've never found it. It quickly became apparent that | | | | fermentation. You wouldn't expect someone who has |
| the swill that comes from the large, industrialized | | | | never boiled water to attempt a souffle. Neither would |
| breweries wasn't going to satisfy my palette. If you've | | | | you expect a beginning brewer to malt his own barley. |
| noticed, the large brewers are slowly, but surely | | | | However, when in a quest for the perfect beer, |
| moving their products toward water. They all started | | | | nothing will stop the pursuit of the obsessed. The |
| with a lightweight lager and then started subtracting | | | | science is the easy part. It merely becomes a |
| stuff from it. First it was less filling, then it was lower | | | | process. If Zen is the destiny, then it is the art that |
| carbs. Pretty soon, all that will be left is the water and | | | | must be mastered. And that is the rub... |
| a little coloring. They may be on to something. I never in | | | | From the moment the ingredients are chosen until the |
| my life thought that bottled water would have become | | | | first glass is poured, the quest is on. That first sniff, the |
| as large an industry as it has. Maybe the large | | | | first taste will tell the brewer if the journey was worth |
| brewers have rethought their product lines. | | | | the effort. Is it a beer to be quaffed or sipped? Is the |
| Anyway, I've consumed my fair share of beer over | | | | aroma pleasing? Does it satisfy the palate as well as |
| the years. When I buy beer, I usually look for something | | | | the thirst? Could you imagine any food it would not |
| I haven't tried before. The last ten or so years have | | | | complement? Is the first sip is good as the last? Does |
| seen a virtual explosion in the varieties of beer | | | | time stand still? Do the stars align? Is it perfect? Is it |
| available to the American consumer. Still, even with the | | | | Art? Is there Zen? |
| variety available, the perfect beer eludes me. | | | | My quest continues. |