Good Morning Dubbers! What can I say that hasn’t already been said about our team, coaches, scheme etc….It has been difficult to watch at times. However, we finally get a game under the lights, a Primetime matchup…against the Mighty Zips! Normally, I would not even have an ounce of fear/worry about a game vs. Akron…but 2021 is, well, different. I'm also kicking myself for not jumping on the original betting line (I think it was +53 for Akron), but I never bet on the Buckeyes - too much emotion goes into it. Alas, here we are, with a divided fan base, a team with no identity, and what should be a snoozer/game over before halftime...but weirder things have happened, and again, it's 2021...atleast xichigan still sucks.
This week has a lot going on; my daughter’s 2nd birthday, the official end of summer/start of fall, my Reds are officially out of the playoff race (not official yet mathematically but lets be real), it's only 50 degrees here in Cbus, and not to mention, it's the middle of Oktoberfest in Germany…which is why I thought I would dust off an old- time favorite recipe of mine: Beer Cheese Dip.
Ingredients:
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 2 tablespoons flour
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 can/bottle of beer (can be a wheat, ale, porter...I plan on using an Oktoberfest)
- 3/4 cup cream (half and half works, or heavy cream for a thicker sauce)
- 16 oz. sharp Cheddar, shredded (I prefer to get a block and shred with a grater)
- 16 oz. white cheddar, shredded
- A few dabs of hot sauce (can substitute cayenne or white pepper here for a little heat)
Directions (get ready to whisk for about 8+ straight minutes)
In a medium saucepan over low heat, melt the butter and whisk in the flour. Cook, whisking constantly for around 2 to 3 minutes; you don’t want to burn the flour (this is called a roux for those that don’t know, and will help thicken the cheese dip). You want the mixture to look like wet sand. Next, add in the mustard, Worcestershire sauce, salt, and pepper, whisking constantly until smooth. Then, add beer and continue to whisk until it is all combined. Pour in the cream and whisk some more until smooth. Gradually add cheese, stirring constantly, until all the cheese melts and sauce is smooth like velvet; this will take 4 to 5 minutes. Add hot sauce (or hot pepper) at the end and serve immediately.
Serve with crackers, pretzels, soft pretzels/pretzel bites, fritos, tortilla chips etc.
- Pro Tip #1: grab some pretzel buns, a few slices of ham or turkey, and make a sandwich. Could also pour over a nice brat/sausage too.
- Pro Tip #2: Fry up some spicy ground sausage, diced onions, diced jalapeno etc. and add to the cheese dip for extra flavors/tastiness.
- For the Cheese - you can use whatever you want, but make sure 1 type is cheddar.
- You can substitute cream cheese for the heavy cream - if you do this you don't need to make the roux.
- Caution: If you don’t like beer that much, shame on you....but really, if not then don’t add the full can/bottle. This cheese dip is quite tasty but definitely has a beer flavor.
Will have a variety of Oktoberfest beers on hand to wash this down with - Thirsty Dog Barktoberfest, CBC Festbier, Great Lakes, North High, Sierra Nevada etc. Might even grab some Warlock from Southern Tier too.
Enjoy, and Go Bucks!
