Beer was originally prepared when cereals were first cultivated around 9500 BC in the Neolithic Era. In Egypt, in the area of modern Iraq, Iran and Syria, beer was produced from barley, wheat and other grains. As far away as China, a similar drink was made with fermented rice and fruits. Beer was used in religious ceremonies; it was drunk for good heath, to fight diseases, to infuse flavors and to give a pleasant texture and palatability in cooked food.

In Neolithic times, after their migration from Africa and Asia, Celtic tribes, introduced beer throughout Europe. It became popular because it would keep for a long time and because it contains 95 to 97 percent water. As a result, the overall cost of production was low. Today, beer is the world’s most consumed beverage after water and tea. People in northern Europe traditionally are large consumers of fish, and it is speculated that they introduced the beer batter when they fried fresh-caught fish covered with a coat of flour mixed with beer.

The end result was that the fish was perfectly cooked, delicious-tasting, light and crunchy on the outside and soft and juicy on the inside. To make the batter, no special equipment is necessary; the basic ingredients are beer, flour and salt. In time, this recipe has undergone some changes to adapt to the local taste, with the addition of various spices or herbs and adjustments to create a lighter, non-oily and crispy crust. The following recipe should satisfy these requirements.

In Sicily, beer batter is chosen because it is easy to prepare, it is used as soon as it is mixed and the results are very crispy and not oily. This recipe makes enough for frying 1 lb of fish fillet (turbot, flounder, salmon, swordfish, etc or shrimp, oysters, mussels, etc). Cut fish fillets in strips, about 1” wide.