There are very few occasions in life that can’t be improved with a nice glass of wine. However, there is one such occasion where sipping a glass of wine, and mind you that this is strictly from a male prospective doesn’t work, and that is during the Super Bowl. For some reason it just doesn’t fit in with the manliness of the day. I know that when I take a break from shoving nachos and Buffalo wings in my mouth I’m reaching for one thing and one thing only, beer…and it better be a watered down cheap macro-produced one that was just pulled from an ice bath.  Now I know this might sound shocking to everyone who reads my “Wine” column to read me being so frank about my beer consumption, maybe it’s reckless and irresponsible as a Sommelier and columnist to go from Bordeaux to Budweiser.  I think it is a natural progression as a football loving man, and I make no apologies.

I love beer! Good beer, great beer, cheap beer and of course free beer. That magical combination of barley, hops and water has been celebrated for many centuries. It has and remains a staple accompaniment to any sporting event…even Greenwich Polo, nothing like stomping the divots with a cold one in your hand. As Chef Repp of Splash Restaurant in Westport can attest to, beer has been present through the good and bad times and it never judges.

So this Sunday it’s very important to remember that beer should be present at any party that is attended, and if you’re by yourself you should definitely have plenty of ice-cold beer on hand. Also if you notice that the beers are disappearing with no backups in sight on Sunday I recommend the emergency measure of hiding beer be used. The beer or “prize” as I like to call it should be placed in the far reaches of the fridge where know one will ever look, like the veggie bin. Or you can stash the beer in the snow outside. The most crucial thing to remember is that the beer stay hidden from friends and family and it remains ice-cold.

I hope I have been able to impart some information and wisdom that I have gathered throughout my past Super Bowl experiences that will enhance yours.

This week’s recipe from Chef Repp can and should be enjoyed with your favorite beer.

The Bridgeport Cheese steak
I have never been to Philadelphia so I have no idea what a real Philly cheese steak tastes like. This sandwich is quick to make and is pretty damn good.

1 Portuguese hoagie roll split ¾ of the way down
½ lb shaved rib eye meat
½ yellow onion julienned
3 pieces white American cheese
1Tbls of each. Kosher salt, ground pepper, garlic powder mixed together

Method
In a medium sauté pan, on medium heat, season and brown the onions.

Add the meat, season again and sauté the rib eye until almost cooked through

Shape the rib eye meat into a line place the cheese at an angle and cover with the bun

Lower the heat and cover the pan to steam the bread.

When the bread is soft and hot use a spatula to loosen the sandwich, and then flip the pan over on to a cutting board so the sandwich falls out. Cut it in half and eat while it’s still hot