Scrap Cheese

Over the last couple of years, my husband has become a bit of a cheese freak. Working at an health food store, he gets a really good deal on gourmet cheese that is about to "go off" (expire). Thus, our veggie crisper occasionally finds itself overwhelmed with cheese. Needless to say if we ever host a part, the snack food of choice is cheese and crackers. The problem arises at the end of the shindig, when there might be a vast variety of pieces of cheese. My favorite solution to this plethora of cheesy odds and ends is Pub Cheese.

Pub Cheese
1 lb cheese bits, finely shredded.
3/4 cup dark beer or amber beer
1/2 cup butter at room temperature
1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
1 tsp malt vinegar (optional)
1 tsp dry mustard
1/2 tsp dry herbs (dill, oregano, rosemary, or thyme work well)
Pinch of cayenne pepper
Salt if needed
Clarified butter

Combine cheese, mustard, herbs, and cover with beer, and stir to combine. Cover mixture and allow it to sit for several hours for the cheese to soften; if the mixture is largely comprised of hard cheese you might have to let it sit overnight.
Place the butter into a food processor and blend until creamy. Add the beer and cheese mixture, Worcestershire sauce, pepper, and cayenne; process until combined and smooth. Taste for seasoning, and add salt if needed.
Pack the cheese into serving crocks and smooth the top. Serve at room temperature. To store for more than a week, seal the top with a 1/4 inch layer of melted clarified butter.

Try this for a really yummy treat:
Pub Fingers
Pub Cheese
Whole wheat bread

Preheat the broiler. Spread pub cheese on a piece of whole wheat bread, and bake in the broiler until the top is nicely browned. Cut into strips and munch with your favorite beer. You can also cut these up into squares and use them instead of croutons.