CHEESEWERKS CHEDDAR + ALE SOUP RECIPE: A Delicious Bowl of Goodness!

Who doesn't love a fantastic soup recipe?  Well, to keep your stomach satisfied, CHEESEWERKS has provided us with another delicious and original dish!  For a brief moment, forget about mother nature's chill and prepare yourself an amazing bowl of CHEESEWERKS CHEDDAR + ALE SOUP!

As Canada’s only restaurant dedicated to Cheese, CHEESEWERKS offers a full range of ooey gooey delights including Mac + Cheese, Nachos, Quesadillas, Grilled Cheese and House-made Soups.  All are made with fresh, local ingredients and served with their house-made Sodas, small–batch Craft Beers or local Wines from the Niagara or Prince Edward County regions.

Kevin Durkee, CHEESEWERKS Big Cheese has shared his Cheddar + Ale Soup recipe, enjoy!

CHEESEWERKS CHEDDAR + ALE SOUP

INGREDIENTS

1/2 cup, Butter, salted

2 Celery stalks, diced

1 medium Onion, chopped

1 medium, Carrot, peeled and chopped

1/3 cup flour

1 cup 10-35% Cream

1 ½ cups Beau’s All Natural Lagered Ale

1 ½ cups Chicken or Vegetable Stock

2 cups Balderson Aged Cheddar, shredded

Salt +  Black pepper, to taste

ADD

Hot Sauce + Worcestershire Sauce to taste

DIRECTIONS

1. Melt the Butter in a high sided soup/stock pot.

2. Add the Onions and cook until golden brown. 

3. Add the Carrot + Celery and continue to sauté for a few minutes more. 

4. Stir in the flour and continue cooking for a few minutes more. (making a thick roux / paste)

5. Pour in Ale, Stock and Cream and simmer until the soup has thickened. Approximately 3-6 mins.

6. Add the grated Cheddar, melt and stir until combined and smooth.

ADD to taste

Salt and Pepper, Hot Sauce + Worcestershire Sauce

ENJOY: Serve with a slice of artisan bread or grilled cheese / or top with pretzel croutons.

*TIP: If the soup is too thick, add warm Beer. If the soup is too thin, add more Cheese.

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Don't miss Kevin at the National Home Show where he'll be sharing this recipe and more live on stage!

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CHEESEWERKS' CHARLESTON Grilled Cheese Recipe: Melting hearts everywhere!

Who doesn't love a fantastic grilled cheese?  Well, to keep your cheese cravings satisfied, CHEESEWERKS has provided us with another delicious and original grilled cheese recipe!  As it gets a bit cooler out, prepare yourself an amazing CHARLESTON Grilled Cheese.

As Canada’s only restaurant dedicated to Cheese, CHEESEWERKS offers a full range of ooey gooey delights including Mac + Cheese, Nachos, Quesadillas, Grilled Cheese and House-made Soups.  All are made with fresh, local ingredients and served with their house-made Sodas, small–batch Craft Beers or local Wines from the Niagara or Prince Edward County regions.

Kevin Durkee, CHEESEWERKS Big Cheese has shared his Smoky Cheddar + Beer Fondue recipe, enjoy!

CHARLESTON Grilled Cheese

recipe courtesy of Cheesewerks

Ingredients

• 60g Double Cream Canadian Brie, cut into six 1/4
• 15g caramelized onions
• 1 tbsp apricot chutney
• 2 slices walnut raisin bread
• 1 tsp salted butter

Instructions

• Bring the sliced Brie to room temperature.
• Place 3 slices of the Brie on each bread slice; spread the apricot chutney on top of the cheese, then add the caramelized onions evenly between both slices.
• Gently press together, and butter both sides of the Grilled Cheese.
• Heat a small skillet or sandwich press to medium heat. Grill the sandwich, turning once for 4-5 minutes or until golden brown and the cheese is fully melted. Insure you don’t burn the bread, and adjust the heat down if necessary.
• Remove from the skillet or grill and let rest for 1 minute. (We know it will be hard).
• Cut the Grilled Cheese in half diagonally and serve with kettle chips and new dills.

Caramelized Onions:

Ingredients:

• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 2-3 large, red onions, halved and thinly sliced
• 1/8 cup balsamic vinegar
• 3 tbsp white sugar
• salt and pepper, to taste

Instructions:
Mix sliced onions together with sugar and vinegar. In a large skillet, heat oil over medium-low heat. Add onion mixture; cook for 10-12 minutes or until onions are tender, stirring occasionally. All liquid should have evaporated and onions may start to turn golden. Stir in salt and pepper.

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The 2013 Toronto Fall Home Show: That's a wrap my friends!

 ...But don't let that stop your inspiration to make your house a  home. 

A recap from Toronto Fall Home Show Manager, Tina Holmes...

Well that went well! A big thank you to everyone who attended the recent 25th edition of the annual Toronto Fall Home Show.  From the retailers, exhibitors, partners, sponsors and visitors the 2013 Toronto Fall Home Show was a great success.  I loved seeing so many people ready to buy and be inspired.

Tina's Top Ten

Property Brothers Back by popular demand, Scotiabank brought back our friends Jonathan Scott & Drew Scott, hosts of W Network’s Property Brothers. The Canadian twins who can fix it all with numerous projects on the go including brand new series Brother vs. Brother, the Scott brothers were a hot ticket item - from live appearances, expert advice, autographs and exclusive photo opps. 

Annie Sloan, another special guest appearance, Annie Sloan, paint legend and creator of Chalk Paint™, graced us with her presence traveling from England. Annie has been painting for over 40 years as well as writing numerous books on the subject. She formulated Chalk Paint™, which is specifically designed for furniture, over 20 years ago. Her paint was developed as a result of her intimate knowledge of paint, pigments and art history.  Here's the list of stockist  p.s. she is currently working on finding more Toronto Stockist as she tours our country. 

A new addition to this year's show was the m{art}ket.  A dedicated area for artists to showcase their original works of art.  Artists included:

• Rob Croxford - (www.robcroxford.com)
• Art of Ivan - (www.artbyivan.com)
• Canada’s Photography - (www.canadasphotography.ca)
• Beverley Jenkins - (www.beverleyjenkins.com)
• Carlo Allion - (www.carloallion.com)
• Gallery on the Lake - (www.galleryonthelake.com)
• Indulgences Art Gallery - (http://www.indulgencesgallery.com)
• MJG Gallery - (www.mjggallery.com)

Decorate Your Home with Meaning! Etsy and HGTV.ca teamed up to create a gorgeous booth of handpicked finds, exclusively from Etsy sellers across Canada.  Behind every product is a real person, a seller with a unique story, giving meaning and warmth to these pieces that help to make a house a home. 

The 31 Cool and Creative Etsy finds. AND, don't forget - use the promo code "FALLHOMESHOW" til October 20th during checkout at Etsy.com,  for a 10% off promotion on ALL of the featured shops. 

The Ultimate Upcycle Challenge Unhinged: So impressed with all of the upcycled door projects submitted by such talented Upcycle heros.  Celebrating 25 years, both The Toronto Fall Home Show & Habitat for Humanity invited celebrity experts and emerging décor and DIY talent to participate in the 2nd annual Upcycle Challenge.  What a great upcycle challenge to repurpose a door from ReStore.  The upcycled doors were voted online with Staci Edwards, Switch Studio taking first place with her upcycled bench masterpiece. Over $8,000 was raised for Habitat for Humanity Toronto with the doors being auctioned onsite.  A huge upcycle hi-five to those that participated!  To see more of the doors click here.

We all fell in love with Black's new Home Decor Wall Art, there are now so many choices to bring your photo's to life and banish your boring walls with your own masterpieces.  At Black's, Wall Art is now available in metal, canvas, acrylic-aluminum, acrylic , and aluminum. *BONUS* - A special treat enter promo code online at blacks.ca FHSWALLART40  for 40% off *valid until November 4th, 2013.  Also, Black's has introduced made for instagram online or in store square prints, so you can have your instragram photos on display for starting from just $0.35 each.

The zipper 'live edge' table from Patterson's Fine Furniture took the spotlight.  Made from a century old apple tree, this table is a reclaimed work of art, taking what was a bit of history and bringing it back to life. 

In addition, this year’s Media Challenge paired the media with Toronto and York Region Fire Fighters to make the Ultimate Grilled Cheese.  With the assistance of the 'Big Cheese' himself, Kevin Durke, Cheesewerks delicious fun was had by all!  With the help of the cheeses, ingredients and the Hamilton Beach Panini Grill Gourmet Sandwich Maker every grilled cheese was it's own delicious invention!

Interior spaces reflect personality and lifestyle. When faced with making design decisions for the home, options can be overwhelming because numerous factors influence the choices made. With the goal of minimizing the guesswork, casalife and Catherine + Davis Interior Design created six vignettes showcasing how you can discover your Design ID.  Six  unique design personalities came to life in the spaces: First Timer, Bachelor, The Joneses, Modern Family, Modern Hippy and Baby Boomer. 

A special thanks to Muizee for blinging me out.  It's just as important when we add a bit of bling and glamour to our homes we include ourselves.  Perfect for the upcoming holidays - so many to choose from. 

Last but not least, the amazing Toronto Fall Home Show team deserves a nod...Thanks to them all for all their hard work and dedication. 

The Toronto Fall Home Show was truly a fall favourite! 

Mark your calendar for next year's our upcoming GTA Home Show (February 2014) and National Home Show (March 2014).  

 

- XOXO Tina

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Warm Fall Recipe: CHEESEWERKS Smoky Cheddar + Beer Fondue

Stay warm this fall next to the fondue pot!

Image via CHEESEWERKS on Facebook

While you may be putting the cover on the barbecue these days, there's no need to put an end to delicious and original meals!  Stir it up this fall, melt the hearts of your family and friends with CHEESEWERKS' Smoky Cheddar + Beer Fondue recipe.  

As Canada’s only restaurant dedicated to Cheese, CHEESEWERKS offers a full range of ooey gooey delights including Mac + Cheese, Nachos, Quesadillas, Grilled Cheese and House-made Soups.  All are made with fresh, local ingredients and served with their house-made Sodas, small–batch Craft Beers or local Wines from the Niagara or Prince Edward County regions.

Kevin Durkee, CHEESEWERKS Big Cheese has shared his Smoky Cheddar + Beer Fondue recipe, enjoy!

CHEESEWERKS Smoky Cheddar + Beer Fondue

Nothing is better than a sharing a warm, gooey Cheese Fondue with friends or that special someone. Perfect for a shared appetizer (serves 4-6) or full meal for two.

INGREDIENTS

250 ml   (1 cup) - Beau’s All Natural Lug Tread Lagered Ale or Other Craft Beer

750ml    (3 cups) - Balderson 2-Year Cheddar, grated

250 ml   (1 cup) - Balderson Double Smoked Cheddar, grated

10 ml     (2 tsp) - Corn Starch

20 ml     (1 tbsp) - Roasted Garlic, puree

5ml         (1 tsp) - Nutmeg, ground

Salt + Pepper

DIRECTIONS

1. Pour Beer into a double-boiler over simmering water.

2. Let the Beer warm up without boiling. (Beer will froth up.)

3. Gradually whisk both Cheeses into Beer, adding small amount at a time, until Cheese is fully melted and blended smooth.

4. Reduce to low heat, mix the Corn Starch with a little splash of Beer into a slurry, and add to the melted Cheese.  Whisk virgoursly to cook the starch and to allow the Cheese to thicken further.

5. Stir in Roasted Garlic + Nutmeg.

6. Add Salt + Pepper to taste.

7. Pour Cheese Fondue into ceramic Fondue pot, insure pot continues to stay warm with candle or burner.

ENJOY

Serve with a variety of artisan breads, roasted vegetables (potatoes, cauliflower, brussel sprouts, asparagus, mushroom are ideal), crudités, hard fruits and pickled items.

TIP

If the mixture is too hard, add warm Beer. If the mixture is too soft, add more Cheese.

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Dinner Party Recipe: CHEESEWERKS House-made Ketchup

"At CHEESEWERKS we prepare our Ketchup by roasting our tomatoes first with garlic.  Nothing better than sticky, sweet caramelized skins and flesh of tomatoes and garlic.  Plus, makes the restaurant smell so amazing."

- Kevin Durkee, CHEESEWERKS Big Cheese has shared his house-made ketchup & dip recipes below.  Enjoy!

Ingredients:

• 3 lbs ripe tomatoes (Roma or Vine-ripened are preferred)
• 1/4 cup brown sugar
• 8 cloves garlic, peeled, left whole
• 1/2 cup cider vinegar
• 3/4 cup balsamic vinegar
• Kosher Salt & Cracked pepper, to taste

Method:

1. Oven to 450°F.
2. Quarter tomatoes, add garlic drizzle olive oil, sprinkle salt & pepper over them and roast them on a baking pan for 25-35 minutes or until they're soft, wrinkled and starting to take some “colour” but not too dark.
3. Cool tomatoes/garlic for a few minutes, and then blend or food processor and puree until they're super smooth.  We do this in small batches and sometimes puree 2 or 3 times to make a very smooth paste-base.
4. In a heavy-bottomed pot over a medium heat, warm the sugar, keeping it moving with a wooden spoon, for about a minute.
5. Add garlic and pureed roasted tomatoes and reduce the heat to medium-low and cook for 10 minutes.
6. Add the vinegars and continue to cook for another 20 minutes or until reduced by two-thirds. The ketchup should be thickened by now. Remove from heat and season to taste with the cracked pepper.
7. Strain the ketchup through a metal fine strainer and into a plastic container/bowl.
8. Chill completely before adding any additional flavours or ingredients.
9. Makes about 2 cups of house-made ketchup.

CHEESEWERKS Signature Roasted Garlic & Red Pepper

• Add ¼ Roasted Garlic puree and ¼ Roasted Red Pepper puree + freshly ground Black Pepper

CHEESEWERKS Signature Sriracha

• Add approx. 2 tablespoons of Sriracha (or to taste) to a batch.

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RECIPE: Enjoy a cold glass of CHEESEWERKS Blueberry Maple Soda or Watermelon Apple Soda

Nothing is better than a cold glass of a soda you've made yourself.  Enjoy this soda with your favourite a fresh, soft rind cheese or goat cheese for a perfect summer afternoon.

“ … we made a conscious to decision to make our sodas from scratch. It’s important for us to share real food and real recipes with our customers.  It always offers a more authentic, better taste and pairing.”

- Kevin Durkee, CHEESEWERKS Big Cheese has shared a couple of his house-made soda recipes.  Enjoy.

CHEESEWERKS Blueberry Maple Soda

INGREDIENTS

500 ml ( 2 cups ) - Frozen Blueberries (with juice), thawed

425ml ( 1 ¾ cups ) - White Sugar

60 ml ( ¼ cup ) - Canadian Maple Syrup, Amber or Dark

Carbonated Water

Garnish – Fresh Blueberries or Lime

DIRECTIONS

1. Blend/puree Blueberries and juice to a smooth consistency.

2. Place the blueberry puree and sugar into a medium saucepan, set over medium-high heat and bring to simmer.

3. Simmer for 10 mins. to insure all sugar is completely dissolved.

4. Remove the saucepan from the heat and pour mixture through a very fine sieve, or colander lined with cheesecloth over a bowl. Discard any skin/pulp.

5. Allow strained liquid to cool for 10-15 mins.

6. Add syrup and whisk to incorporate. 

7. Transfer to a squeeze bottle or plastic jug.

TO SERVE

Stir 30ml ( 1/8 cup ) of the Blueberry Maple liquid with 350 ml (12 ounces) of carbonated water and serve over ice. Garnish with fresh blueberries and/or slice of lime.

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CHEESEWERKS Watermelon Apple Soda

The classic tastes of summer in one cold, delicious glass.

INGREDIENTS

750 ml ( 3 cups ) - Watermelon, cubed and seeded (no rind)

250 ml ( 1 cup ) - Granny Smith (or tart apple of choice), cored, peeled and cubed

425ml ( 1 ¾ cups ) - White Sugar

Carbonated Water

Garnish – Fresh Watermelon, Apple Slice or Lime

DIRECTIONS

1. Blend/puree Watermelon, Apple and all juices to a smooth consistency.

2. Place the puree and sugar into a medium saucepan, set over medium-high heat and bring to simmer.

3. Simmer for 10 mins. to insure all sugar is completely dissolved.

4. Remove the saucepan from the heat and pour mixture through a very fine sieve, or colander lined with cheesecloth over a bowl. Discard any fiber/pulp.

5. Allow strained liquid to cool for 10-15 mins.

6. Transfer to a squeeze bottle or plastic jug.

TO SERVE

Stir 30ml ( 1/8 cup ) of the Watermelon Apple liquid with 350 ml (12 ounces) of carbonated water and serve over ice. Garnish with fresh watermelon cubes, apple slice and/or slice of lime.

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