In Alton We Trust

Couldn't let the new year arrive or the old year pass without making one more foodie post. Today I used up the odds and wads of cheese in the fridge by making the following recipe.

I've always enjoyed Alton's show, but I've never made any of his recipes because I've heard that, in many cases, his food principles are better than his actual food product. However, I liked the sound of his recipe better than that of cheese expert Steven Jenkins, so I gave it a whirl.

Oh, my. If this tastes even a third as good as it smells, it's going to be wonderful. I only doctored it a tiny bit by adding some white pepper based on S. Jenkins' recipe. (Has there ever been a recipe that crossed my threshold that I didn't fiddle with?) It's so easy that any child you could trust with a Cuisinart could make it.

Here's the recipe:

Fromage Fort
Recipe By: Alton Brown
1 pound leftover cheese at room temperature
1/4 cup dry white wine
3 tablespoons unsalted butter -- softened
2 tablespoons fresh parsley leaves
1 small clove garlic

Remove any rinds from hard cheeses. Grate hard cheeses and cut others into 1/2-inch cubes. Place cheese, wine, butter, herbs, and garlic in a food processor and blend until smooth, approximately 2 minutes. Serve immediately or refrigerate for at least 1 hour for a firmer consistency. This can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.

Source:
"Show: Good Eats Episode: Say Cheese!"

NOTES : Recipe Summary
Difficulty: Easy
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Yield: about 2 cups

You may use any leftover cheese you wish, such as Cheddar, Parmesan, Provolone, Fontina, Mozzarella, Camembert, or St. Andre. Make sure that you use a combination that is not too salty.


Did I mention how incredibly good it smells? I would serve this to company. (Well, company that liked garlic.)