Hawksmoor hot dog and Seven Barrels Red Rye IPA

I know I said I was going to make a Riesling my match of the week but given that I've already written about it and that it's the Great British Beer Festival this week I'm going for this great combo at my son's restaurant, Hawksmoor. (Blatantly nepotistic, I know. Apologies)

The boys have been planning to introduce a hot dog for a while but couldn't find a British-sourced sausage that was up to scratch so this has been a year in development. I have to say it's a great one - light and smokey, just lightly grilled and served with melted onions, sweet mustard, homemade ketchup and, rather bizarrely - kimchi which also appears in one of their burgers.

I'm not so sure about the kimchi but the basic 'dog' is absolutely fantastic with their new Seven Barrels Red Rye IPA which has been brewed for them by the Kernel Brewery in London. It's a serious 6.5% bottle conditioned ale made from malted barley (85%) and rye (15%) with Amarillo and Mt. Hood hops, according to this review on the beer website ratebeer. I was going to order a lager but this was absolutely delicious - really rich and fruity. (The Spitalfields branch has its own ale, The Devil's Architect, made by Camden Brewery, which I've yet to try.)

Crayfish and Crab Cocktail with Bonny Doon Pacific Rim Riesling

I have to admit there's an element of nepotism about this pairing which I enjoyed the other day at my son’s award-winning steakhouse Hawksmoor where we were shooting new photography for the site (an exciting development about which more news shortly!)

The photographer Debbie Rowe being a good friend, we thought we’d have a bite to eat beforehand. While Debbie sensibly ordered a salad (which explains why she’s a fraction of my size) I kicked off with a lavish, crayfish and crab cocktail, which would actually make a good get-ahead starter for a Thanksgiving feast if you're racking your brains for something different to serve.

Seafood cocktail sauce or ‘marie rose’ sauce with its slight sweetness isn’t the easiest match with wine but happily I found a Bonny Doon Pacific Rim Riesling available by the glass which matched it perfectly, complementing the shellfish with its crisp refreshing acidity but refusing to have its own touch of sweetness stripped by the sauce.

And yes, we did follow with a steak which we accompanied with a voluptuously ripe 2007 Cline Ancient Vines Zinfandel, another spot-on pairing.

PS If you ever need a portrait done I can strongly recommend Debbie. I absolutely loathe having my picture taken and she’s one of the very few photographers who has managed to make me feel relaxed about the process and thrilled with the result. She also shot the splendid picture of Michael Broadbent on his bicycle that appears above his column in Decanter. You can contact her through her website www.debbierowe.com