Valentine's Day Recipe With Stella Artois Style

    NORWALK, Conn., Jan. 18 /PRNewswire/ -- Want to know the way to your man's
heart this Valentine's Day?  It's beer.
    Beer is to men as roses and chocolates are to women.  And just as Belgian
chocolate reigns supreme with chocolate aficionados, beer connoisseurs
consider Belgium a brewing paradise.  As the best-selling Belgian beer in the
world, Stella Artois as a gift or as the beverage served at a seductive supper
on Valentine's Day, will say, "she loves me."
    To romance your Romeo, prepare an authentic Belgian dish that packs a
double dose of sensuousness -- mussels steamed in Stella Artois.  Not only are
mussels distinctly Belgian and the perfect mate to a premium Belgian beer, but
they have been considered aphrodisiacs since the medieval times.  Because of
their zinc levels, these mollusks are reported to 'pack a bigger punch' than
their legendary oyster cousins.

     Mussels for Lovers

     2 Tablespoons butter
     1/4 cup finely chopped shallots
     2 finely minced garlic cloves
     1 teaspoon curry powder
     1 1/2 pounds mussels, thoroughly cleaned and bearded
     1/3 cup Stella Artois
     1 cup heavy cream
     freshly ground black pepper
     1 Tablespoon finely minced parsley
     1 Tablespoon finely minced chives

    Melt the butter in a pot large enough to hold all the mussels.  Add the
shallots, garlic and curry powder and saute for about 3 minutes.  Add the
mussels and sprinkle with a generous grinding of black pepper.
    Pour the beer and the cream over the mussels and cover the pot tightly.
Steam the mussels over high heat for 3 to 4 minutes or until they open.  Take
off the heat.  Shake the pot vigorously to toss the mussels with the buttery
vegetables.  Garnish with the parsley and chives.
    Serve at once with "Belgian" frites (fries) or a crusty loaf of bread and
of course, plenty of refreshing Stella Artois.

    An elegant way to serve this dish:
    Take mussels out of the pot and arrange on the half shell in deep soup
plates.  Reduce the cooking juices by 1/3 and spoon over the mussels.  Garnish
with fresh herbs.
    (serves 2)

    Courtesy of Belgian chef and cookbook author, Ruth van Waerebeek

    Stella Artois traces its origin back to 1366 to a brewery called Den
Hoorn, located in Leuven, a town just outside of Brussels.  In 1717, master
brewer Sebastian Artois purchased the brewery and renamed it to his namesake.
In 1926, the Artois Brewery created a special brew to celebrate Christmas and
named it Stella (Latin for star) for its exceptional clarity.  Today, Stella
Artois is the gold standard for European lagers with its distinctive flavor
and spicy hop character.  It is the fastest growing European lager in the
world and the #1 selling Belgian beer in the U.S.
    Formed by the combination of Labatt USA and Beck's North America, InBev
USA distributes some of the world's leading premium beers, including
Beck's(TM), Stella Artois(TM), and Bass(TM).  As "America's Premium Beer
Company," InBev USA offers a portfolio of over 20 international brands,
including Labatt Blue(TM) and Labatt Blue Light(TM), as well as Rolling
Rock(TM) and Rock Green Light(TM) from Latrobe Brewing Company.  InBev USA is
also the #1 supplier of imported draught beer to bars and restaurants
throughout the country.

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