I just returned from Strasbourg, France where food and beer are a part of everyday life!  Strasbourg is one of the most interesting cities in the world with a history rich in middle European beer from the region of Belgium and now in its new role as the center of the European Union.

What could top this experience? My next stop is Prague in the Czech Republic, but not after a stop at the Eisenhut resort Hotel in Rottenburg ab der Taube in Germany. This beer trail is beyond comparison in a society that knows the value of beer.

In America, we have all of the energy but we lack the tradition. Many restaurants struggle with pairing beer to food but some of us are endeavoring to bring beer into focus. With hundreds of reasons to add beer to the menu, the world is finally available through local breweries that squeeze flavors out of local ingredients.