Barb Ford writes a column called “Easy Way Gourmet” and says,

“It’s not so often that I hear people discussing beer and food pairings or recipes. But one quick look through Lucy Saunders’ latest book, “The Best of American Beer and Food-Pairing and Cooking with Craft Beer,” will change all that.

It is rare for me to pick up a book on beer. It is even rarer to find an amazing combination of cookbook, guidebook and memoir of great meals….

As an expert on beer and food, Saunders is an excellent guide to the world of fine brewing. She takes the reader on a tour of craft breweries and traditions across America, with suggestions for creating a tasting party pairing beer and cheeses, a geographic discussion of brewing traditions by region and even coverage of “Chocolate: Another Fermented Favorite.”

(And thanks to Jim Javenkoski for his notes on the science of pairing chocolate and craft beer!)