When to Serve It

This is the perfect dish for a chilly night at home. It's so rich, there's no reason that it can't be served with a green salad as dinner. One note: this must be made right before serving. I tried making it in advance and reheating it once. Not pretty.

About the Cheese

What is Cheddar?
Cheddar Cheddar Cheddar! One of the world's great misunderstood cheeses. Cheddar is one of the only cheeses whose name is a town (in England), a cheese (duh), and a cheese-making technique. Made from cow's milk, cheddar is a dense and flavorful cheese. The technique used to make Cheddar is called "Cheddaring" and indicates the way in which the cheese curd is layered upon itself to press out excess liquid. That's why with a REAL cheddar, you will see separate chunks within the cheese. Cheddars, for better or worse, are made all over the world, not just in America and England. They also range from tender and mild to crumbly and sharp.

It's Cheese, Not a Traffic Cone!
Ok - nowhere in the world (or on any other planet) would cows produce orange milk. So why is cheddar so often a bright orange color? Two words: "Food Coloring". I'm not sure where this practice originated, but it's just not natural. When you look in the case at Cheesetique, you will notice that all of our Cheddars are off-white, as the cow intended.

Ingredients

2 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup Porter
For you non-beer folks, this is a rich, flavorful beer. Best not to use a Stout - which is a super-strong Porter - because it will be quite bitter
3/4 cup heavy cream
Approximately 1 1/2 cups shredded SHARP Cheddar
This is about 1/2 pound of cheese
2 drops hot sauce
Not required if you're a lightweight
4 slices toasted bread
Rye is the traditional choice, but I often prefer something more hearty like a big-time grain bread

Directions
1. In a medium saucepan over low heat, melt the butter and whisk in the flour.
2. Cook, whisking constantly for 2 to 3 minutes, being careful not to brown the flour.
3. Whisk in mustard, Worcestershire sauce, salt, and pepper until smooth.
4. Add beer and whisk to combine. Pour in cream and whisk until well combined and smooth.
5. Gradually add cheese, stirring constantly, until cheese melts and sauce is smooth; this will take 4 to 5 minutes.
6. Add hot sauce and stir to combine.
7. Pour over toast and serve immediately.