Instructions: Pour stout into a small saucepan and bring to a boil. Keep it at a steady boil for 3 or 4 minutes, until reduced to 1 1/4 cup. Remove from heat.

With an electric mixer, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add molasses and eggs and mix until well combined. Sift flour, soda, spices and salt together. Alternately add small amounts of flour mixture and warm stout to butter mixture, mixing well after each addition.

Spoon batter into a greased 8 X 8 inch pan (I use a 9 X 9 pan and bake it for a little less time, and its fine) and bake at 350 degrees for 45-50 minutes, until top is firm and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

Those of us who insist on "guilding the lily" can also add 1/2 cup of chopped crystallized ginger. It tends to sink to the bottom, but its good.

NOTES : I suppose it could be argued that gingerbread is "bread" in name only, but this really is wonderful. Its from Beer And Good Food by Bob and Coleen Simmons.

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