This is a very basic, but wonderful, cheddar cheese sauce which I first encountered in Illinois, where it is the main ingredient in a Horseshoe Sandwich. The sauce itself is fairly simple, but incredible, and can be used in a variety of ways.

(Note: I realize that for many of you, next week will include that important yearly holiday, the celebration of the beginning of the newest Dr. Who season, so I considered posting my Tardis Cookie recipe. However, Cheese is a theme this week. I will, however, post them eventually, I promise.)

By the way, this is what the bottom drawer of my fridge looks like:

Ingredients:

• ½ 12 oz Bottle of Beer
• 1 lb. grated Sharp Cheddar Cheese (we used half Kerrygold Dubliner & half Cabot’s Seriously Sharp)
• Pinch (scant 1/8 tsp?) mustard powder
• Dash Worchester Sauce
• Dash Onion Powder
• Dash Paprika
• ¼ tsp Corn Starch

Step 1, heat it up: In a small saucepan, whisk the corn starch into a half a bottle of beer, and then bring the mixture to a boil. Be careful, because it will foam.
I’ve made this with several beers, and it is best if it is something with strong flavor, like a porter, but without the bitter overtones of a stout; experiment and find something you like. Most recently, I used Killian’s Red, but last Sunday, I went down to the Green Man Brewery in Asheville, and they are now bottling their porter, with is very smooth, and which I can recommend.

Step 2, a little spice: Stir in the mustard, the Worchester sauce, the onion powder, and the paprika.

Step 3, the cheese: A handful at a time, add in and dissolve the cheddar cheese. The end result should be thick and bubbly.

Step 4, serve: There are a variety of uses for rarebit.

When she was in for spring brake, my amazing daughter & I made it to dip home-made soft pretzels in.

Traditionally, it is served over two pieces of toast which are then broiled slightly as a light supper (in place of rabbit). As a variation on this, I cut a hole in a thick piece of bread, put it in a skillet with a little butter, broke an egg in the whole, fried it over easy, and then served it with the rarebit.

I also use it as my sauce for home-made macaroni & cheese, since I don’t particularly care for most home-made macaroni & cheese.

As I mentioned, it is an ingredient in a Springfield Illinois style Horseshoe Sandwich. More than anything else, though, the Rarebit Sauce is amazing with French fries.