War of the sexes comes to wine

BY AMY CULBERTSON

McClatchy New Service

Sommelier Marnie Old and brewer Sam Calagione have a long-standing, friendly rivalry: She thinks wine is the best beverage to drink with food; he thinks it's beer.

If you want to make a case for either, you could hardly go to two people more knowledgeable: She is director of wine studies for the French Culinary Institute in Manhattan and is a high-profile wine consultant; he is a hero of the craft-beer movement, having founded the lauded Delaware-based craft brewery Dogfish Head.

Five years ago, they put the issue before an unbiased audience by hosting a dinner featuring pairings of both. They called it Beer Is From Mars, Wine Is From Venus.

Many dinners later, their ''pair-offs'' have evolved into a brand-new book: He Said Beer, She Said Wine (DK Publishing, $25).

The book offers specific beer and wine pairings for dishes from foie gras to french fries, as well as a primer on how to do your own pairings, useful tools to help you demystify wine and beer, and even dinner-party recipes (with pairings, of course).

The message: If you're in the habit of drinking only wine or beer with food, think outside the box -- or bottle. We've picked five dishes from the book's pairings section to help you get started.

SUSHI

• Beer: A wheat beer such as Avery White Rascal. The malty backbone stands up to wasabi, but it's subtle enough not to drown sushi's delicate flavors. About $10 a six-pack.

• Wine: A French Champagne such as Perrier-Jouet Grand Brut Champagne. Flavors are complex but won't overwhelm sushi's subtle flavors. About $45.

SIRLOIN STEAK

• Beer: A brown ale such as Chimay Premiere. Calagione considers a complex, fruity brown ale a better match than a dry, tannic red wine. About $11 for a 25.4-ounce bottle.

• Wine: A Napa Valley cabernet sauvignon such as Joseph Phelps Cabernet Sauvignon. Classic match for steak on the grill: a big, complex red. About $50.

GLAZED HAM

• Beer: An English old ale such as Theakston Old Peculier. Sweet and salty flavors need a smooth, mellow beer partner. About $7-$9.50 a six-pack.

• Wine: A delicate pinot noir such as Sanford Pinot Noir. A soft, silky red for a salty-sweet meat. About $30.

SCALLOP CEVICHE

• Beer: A traditional or new-world light lager such as Full Sail Session Lager. A light, warm-weather beer for a light, warm-weather dish. About $13 for a 12-pack.

• Wine: A New Zealand sauvignon blanc such as Kim Crawford Sauvignon Blanc. Lively tartness stands up to the citrus that defines this trendy dish. About $15-$18, widely available.