It could be a sad Super Bowl XLIII for Pat fans, as their team sits this one out. But while their hearts may darken thinking of past glories, the upside is that the focus at parties this year will be less on the game and more on the party. That means socializing with hearty food and beer.


And not just any beer. New England may not be in the game, but there's no reason not to be loyal to the region's breweries, which hold their own in national competitions. This is one of the country's great beer regions. Also, beer, like its cousin, bread, is usually better fresh. So ditch the watery Buds and Coors, those beery equivalents of Wonder Bread, and pass by the German and Mexican brews growing old on the shelf, and purchase some fresh, local beer for you and your guests.

Typical fare for Super Bowl parties includes chili, stews, hot wings, pizza, cheese, chips and dips. What beers go best with them?

Spicy foods demand refreshing beers, and crisp lagers and IPAs meet that requirement. These same beers of summer go great with 5-alarm chili and Buffalo wings. Craft beer giant Boston Beer Co., like most craft brewers, focuses on ales, but it does make Samuel Adams Boston Lager that, unlike the big national brands, actually has flavor. This is a good place to start if you've never sampled craft beers.

Southeastern Massachusetts lager lovers are in luck, because Buzzards Bay Brewing in Westport devotes most of its efforts to lagers. It makes a mellow Dortmunder style, a Pilsner and a smooth Black Lager, which "The Buzzard," Bill Russell recommends.

"The only beer for the mourning fan is our Black Lager," he said. "Celebrate another Black Sunday with our darkest brew."

IPAs provide a clean hop bite that quenches thirst and cuts through the oiliness of fried foods. Harpoon IPA is the New England classic, and readily available. Closer to home, try a Cape Cod Beer IPA. It's darker than most IPAs, offering a uniquely American take on a British style of beer.

Pale, amber and brown ales pair well with cheese, pizza, chips and dips.

Amber ales constitute the flagship brews of most craft breweries. Some veer more toward the pale end of the spectrum, some more toward red, but most strike a balance of malt and hops. Many take their lead from British-style "session" (i.e., when you're having more than one) ales. For a hearty example of a pale ale, try Ipswich Original Ale from Mercury Brewing in Ipswich. Offshore Ale Co. on Martha's Vineyard makes a pale ale and an amber. Cisco Brewers on Nantucket cook up both Whale's Tale Pale Ale and Bailey's Ale. Cape Cod Beer hangs its reputation on its Cape Cod Red. Choices at liquor stores are many and expanding, so try a few and find a new favorite.

Brown ales make amiable mates for most foods, as they don't usually steal the spotlight from the food, just complement it. Their malt profile is higher than a pale ale or lager, but the hops take a backseat, making for a mellow drink with a touch of sweetness. For a brown ale, it's hard to beat Old Brown Dog by Smuttynose Brewing Co. in Portsmouth, N.H. Wachusett Brewing Co. in Westminster concocts a likeable Nut Brown Ale.

For a funkier brown, consider a Belgian-style dubbel. These have more than a bit of spicy fruitiness, courtesy of the yeasts used, more malt presence and a higher alcohol content, roughly that of wine. Allagash Brewing Co. of Portland, Maine, runs counter to most craft breweries by specializing in Belgian-style ales, including a dubbel. These make a perfect accompaniment to an aged cheddar or a smoked gouda cheese and do double duty if you need an alternative to coffee to wash down brownies, chocolate chip cookies or cake.

Don't let the dark appearance of porters and stouts put you off if you're used to light yellow commercial beers. Porters and stouts aren't necessarily heavy or high in alcohol, but they do contain seriously roasted malts that taste of molasses, chocolate and coffee. Porters generally are a bit sweeter, and stouts deeper in taste. Lovers of these monsters of malt would say they go with all foods, but they do possess special affinity for stews, roasted meat and chocolate. Try a London Porter from Geary's in Portland, Maine, a Smuttynose Robust Porter, Drayman's Porter from Berkshire Brewing Co. in South Deerfield, or Cape Cod Beer's porter, one of their best brews.

Most beer drinkers know of Ireland's Guinness, the world's most famous stout. New England stouts tend to be denser in flavor and less dry. For a change, pick up an Ipswich oatmeal stout, an organic one from Wolaver's in Middlebury, Vt., Irish-style Riley's Stout from Paper City in Holyoke, or a Feast of Fools from the quirky Magic Hat brewery in South Burlington, Vt.

Speaking of dessert, an old ale or a barleywine would be great with a sweet or without it. Plus, their higher alcohol content and complex flavors would go a long way to comforting a despondent Pats fan in the dead of winter.

If you make the trip to Cape Cod Beer's Hyannis facility, you can obtain an old ale only available there, called Old Man Winter, with 7 percent alcohol by volume (ABV), or 14 proof. Cisco makes Baggywrinkle Barleywine, which weighs in at 9.9 percent ABV.

To better savor their aromas, and in respect to their clout, these beers benefit from being served in smaller amounts in a tumbler or brandy glass instead of a tall pint or pilsner glass. Freezing cold temperatures reduce the flavor and scent of these special beers, so serve them just slightly cool or at room temperature. Unlike most beers, they age well, due to their higher alcohol content, so save any unopened bottles for another occasion (when the Pats play again in the Supe Bowl?)

If you will be celebrating or commiserating on the Vineyard, Neil J. Atkins, head brewer at Offshore Ale, offers these consolations at the Oak Bluffs brewpub: "For those dejected Pats fans ... we have our new Miss Behavin' Winter Warmer Ale at 7.5 percent. And for the truly overly dejected we would suggest Shipwreck Barley Wine coming in at a 9.5 percent."

Who's playing in the Super Bowl? Who cares! Pass me another wing and a beer.

Ready to pick the right brew to complement your Super Bowl snacks? The recipes available in cookbooks and on the Internet would fill a football stadium. We've picked a few that looked tempting and a bit unusual.

Newcastle Brown Ale, working with Sam the Cooking Guy, created this treat that allows you to drink the leftover ingredients when you are done in the kitchen.

2 (8-ounce) packages cream cheese, softened

2 (8-ounce) packages shredded Cheddar cheese

1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

1/2 cup Newcastle Brown Ale

Place cream cheese, Cheddar cheese, garlic powder and Newcastle Brown Ale in a large bowl. Using an electric mixer, blend until smooth. Serve with your favorite crackers or bread and enjoy.

Salting chicken wings before frying helps rid them of excess moisture in the skin, which can cause the finished product to be rubbery rather than crispy. The Asian-inspired twice-fried method helps ensure tender meat and crispy skin.

As with all meat, be sure to leave the wings out at room temperature for 10 to 15 minutes before cooking. Cold wings will drastically reduce the temperature of the oil. And cool oil doesn't crisp well.

Serve these wings with the traditional blue cheese dressing, and sticks of celery and carrots.

Serves five or six.

5 pounds chicken wings and drummettes (20 to 25 pieces)

4 tablespoons kosher salt

4 tablespoons Sriracha (Asian hot chili) sauce

2 tablespoons honey

2 tablespoons butter, melted

1 tablespoon soy sauce

2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh cilantro

4 cups canola oil (for frying)

Salt and ground black pepper, to taste

Start to finish: 1 hour (plus overnight salting). Place the chicken in a large bowl, then sprinkle with the salt. Toss to coat. Transfer the chicken pieces to a baking sheet, arranging them in a single layer. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 12 hours. When ready to cook, remove the chicken pieces from refrigerator and pat completely dry with paper towels, brushing away any salt. Let the chicken sit at room temperature for 10 to 15 minutes. Meanwhile, in a small bowl, whisk together the Sriracha sauce, honey, butter, soy sauce and cilantro. Taste to check the heat level. If the sauce is too spicy, add honey. Set aside. Place the oil in a large Dutch oven fitted with a thermometer. Heat over medium until the oil is 275 degrees F. Divide the chicken into four batches. One batch at a time, fry for 8 minutes, transferring each to a clean plate or baking sheet when done. Once all the chicken is done, increase the heat to medium-high and heat oil to 375 F. Again working in batches, fry the chicken for 2 minutes, then transfer to a baking sheet lined with paper towels. The skin should be brown and crunchy and the meat should pull away from the bones with just a bit of resistance. As each batch is transferred to the baking sheet, season it with salt and pepper. Transfer the chicken to a large bowl, then pour the chili sauce over it. Toss to thoroughly coat all the wings, and transfer to a serving platter.

"Every Day with Rachael Ray" magazine features five new savory and sweet pizzas using a cast-iron skillet, including a sweet Cinnamon Bun Pizza and this savory Bratwurst Pretzel Pizza.

Serves six.

1/2 pound Skillet Pizza Dough (see below)

One 12-ounce package cooked bratwurst

1 tablespoon sugar

3 tablespoons apple cider vinegar

1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil

1/4 teaspoon celery seeds

Salt and pepper

One 16-ounce bag coleslaw mix

Caraway seeds, for sprinkling

Yellow mustard, for serving

Prep: 20 min (plus rising). Bake: 25 minutes. Press the pizza dough into a greased 9- to 10-inch cast-iron skillet and let rise until doubled in size, 20 to 30 minutes. Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 425 degrees. In a large skillet, cook the bratwurst over medium heat until browned, about 5 minutes. Let cool before slicing into 3/4-inch thick rounds. In a large bowl, whisk the sugar into 1 tablespoon hot water. Whisk in the vinegar, 3 tablespoons olive oil, the celery seeds and 1/4 teaspoon each salt and pepper. Add the coleslaw mix and toss. Press the bratwurst into the risen dough. Brush with the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil; sprinkle the crust with the caraway seeds. Bake until puffed and browned, about 25 minutes. Let cool in the pan for 5 minutes. Slice, drizzle with the mustard and serve with the slaw. Season your cast-iron skillet to keep the cooking surface nonstick. Coat a dry pan with melted vegetable shortening, then bake upside down on a rimmed baking sheet in a 400-degree oven for 1 hour.

Makes 1 pound.

3/4 cup lukewarm water

1 tablespoon active dry yeast

1 teaspoon sugar

2 1/4 cups flour (for whole wheat dough, use 3/4 cup whole wheat flour and 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour)

1 teaspoon salt

3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

In a small bowl, stir together the lukewarm water, yeast and sugar. Let stand until foamy, 3 to 5 minutes. Using a standing mixer, mix the flour and salt at low speed. Mix in the yeast mixture and olive oil until a shaggy dough forms. Change to the dough hook attachment and mix at medium speed until smooth, about 6 minutes. Transfer the dough to a greased, large mixing bowl, turning to coat; cover with plastic wrap and let rise until doubled in size, 45 minutes to 1 hour. Punch down the dough before using.