Kirschwasser

Ingredients 1lb cherries, 1/2 cup caster sugar, 1 cup alcohol (beer, brandy or red wine, are traditional) 1/2 tsp vanilla essence, 1/2 tsp cinnamon.

Preparation: 20 minutes

As part of the World Cup Food Challenge 2014, this recipe represents a traditional meal of Germany. Kirsch is a glorious, heady cold fruit soup consisting of essentially booze and whole, pitted cherries. In researching this recipe I found so many variations from those using milk or soured cream to those using beer or red wine. In the end, I went with a mixture of sloe gin and brandy simply because that was what I had in my cupboard and I can assure you that it is a knockout combination!

1) Pit the cherries, discarding the stones and add the fruit to a milk pan

2) Measure in the sugar, cinnamon and vanilla essence, top up with the booze and either 1/2 cup water or the excess cherry juice if you are using canned cherries (I used fresh fruit so I topped this up with a little apple juice).

3) Bring to the boil, then turn down the heat and allow to simmer for 10-15 minutes. Revel in the utterly divine smell. REVEL I SAY.

4) Chill and serve! I tried this with a blob of soured cream and also with sweet dumplings and I'll be honest I preferred it just on its own!

Beer dip

Ingredients 200g cream cheese, 20g cheddar cheese, 1/2 cup beer

Preparation: 1 hour

When making a pot of Mexican mole, one of my favourite ways to serve the leftovers is with nachos and cheese. This beer dip makes the most fabulous topping. Cool and malty and super simple to make.

1) Whip the cream cheese and the beer until smooth and season with salt to taste.

2) Stir through grated cheddar and refrigerate for at least an hour until it has set.

Beer can chicken & macaroni soup

Ingredients      Leftover beer can chicken and   potato, macaroni, beer, oregano, white onion.

Serves: 2 preparation: 2 hours

When I finished making beer can chicken, I saved all of the components to make stock with, and then emerged this fabulously rich soup.

1) Peel and slice a white onion, and add to a stock pot along with the chicken carcass, slice of leftover potato, the remaining beer from the can the chicken was sitting on and 1/2 pint of water. Simmer for 30 minutes and strain the liquid into a separate pan.

2) Set the liquid to cool in the fridge for an hour, then skim the fat from the surface. 

3) Add one ladle of stock jelly to a pan along with 1/2 a cup of macaroni, chopped oregano and leftover chicken. Top up with a little hot water and simmer for 15 minutes until the pasta has cooked, then serve.

Beer can chicken

Ingredients     3 maris piper potatoes per chicken, 1 can beer per chicken, lemon rapeseed oil, butter,

Preparation: 2 hours


When I roast a chicken, I stuff the cavity with pierced lemons, filling the inside with fragrant steam to make the meat moist and succulent. Beer can chicken works on the same principle - flavouring the chicken with barley and hops. The French method of slicing potatoes to cook in the chicken juices makes a wonderful roast meal.


1) Massage a little butter into the skin of the chicken.


2) Pour 1/3 of the beer out of the can, then spread the legs of the chicken and sit it on top of the can. Press down until the chicken is balanced.


3) Cut the potatoes into cm thick slices and toss in a bowl with a little rapeseed oil, then arrange around the chicken.


4) Roast in the oven, basting at intervals to crisp up the skin, then remove carefully from the can and carve. Save the beer and carcass to make stock for soup.