Thanksgiving Recipe: Baked Les Frères Cheese with Maple and Pears
This
appetizer is perfect for Thanksgiving because it is full of fall
flavors and simple to make. Over the weekend, my family came to town
and we made quite the feast. We've selected four beer pairing options that work well with this dish. I'm so thankful to have the best family and friends in my life!
The Pairings:
K-9 Winter Ale has a rich malt backbone of caramel and roast, which matches
up perfectly with the fruity and earthy notes in this artisanal cheese.
The maple and pear sweetness are icing on the cake.
This
smooth and complex ale’s deep malt character will enhance the flavors
of this dish, and the slightly effervescence with a hint of sweet malts
and toasted pecan aroma will cut through the sweetness of the maple and
pears.
Allagash Fluxus: Fluxus
is the anniversary beer. To celebrate their 16th, they decided on a
saison/wit hybrid with green and pink peppercorns. There are notes of
pepper but it’s not too intense. It’s bottle –conditioned which lends
itself carbonation. The pepper as well as the bubbles slice nicely
through the baked Les Frères.
This beer won the 2011 Great American Beer Festival® Gold Medal. They used the same recipe as their standard Kӧlsch but with an unfiltered
version served cellar style like a German Brewer might enjoy directly
from the lager tank.
The Recipe:
One 8-ounce round of Crave Brothers Les Frères cheese
1 tablespoon Clear Creek Distillery pear brandy
1 tablespoon Tonewood pure maple syrup
Pinch of salt
1/4 cup chopped almonds, (or other nuts of your choice)
2 Bosc pears, cut into thin wedges
2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
Preheat the oven to 400°. Put the Crave Brothers Les Frères cheese in a small baking
dish. Combine the brandy, maple syrup and salt and pour over
the cheese. Sprinkle with almonds. Bake for about 7 minutes, until the cheese is very soft. Toss the
pears with the lemon juice and serve alongside the cheese.
Special thank you to Crave Brothers Cheese, Clear Creek Distillery, Tonewood Maple, Flying Dog, Mad Fox, 3 Stars and Allagash for participating in our 2012 Thanksgiving Lamb Feast!
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Dori Ross
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