sprinklefingers

if you have read even just a few entries of this here food diary, you know i am a devout follower of beecher’s handmade cheese from seattle. it is crazy magical cheese of such gigantic proportions that i can only begin to scratch the surface of my love for the stuff by saying it’s the best cheese, ever.

[i really have to get out more.]

anyways, i’m here today to share with you the recipe for ‘beecher’s flagship cheese sauce,’ which is the start of some of the best mac & cheese you’ll ever eat. ever. of course, you can skip making the mac & cheese yourself and order it from beecher’s, but you really, really should make it yourself.

why? well, because, first of all, this cheese sauce i’m talking about can be used for much more than macaroni. add some white wine and you’ve got fondue. drizzle it over eggs. pour it over broccoli. drown a baked potato. honestly, it’s so versatile, it might just become your favorite cheesy saucey thing.

i’ll stop talking now and get down to business:

beecher’s flagship cheese sauce.
no adaptations of my own. i’m not one to mess with perfection.

makes about 8 cups

• 1/2 cup butter, unsalted
• 2/3 cup AP flour
• 6 cups milk
• 28 oz grated cheese - choose from one of the following: cheddar, gruyere, swiss, gouda, provolone, emmenthaler.
• 4 oz grated cheese - choose from one of the following: colby, fontina, brick, havarti, monterey jack, mozzarella.
• 1 t kosher salt
• 1/2 t chipotle chili powder
• 1/4 t garlic powder

1. melt the butter in a saucepan over medium heat and whisk in flour. cook while whisking for 2-4 minutes. you’re not looking for the butter to brown at all, you simply want to make sure the flour & the butter combine and cook together a bit. guess what? you just made a roux! magic!
2. slowly add the milk. whisk constantly. cook until the sauce thickens, about 10-15 minutes, stirring frequently. remove from the heat.
3. add the cheeses, salt, chili powder and garlic powder. stir and stir until all the  cheese is melted and all ingredients are incorporated.

use immediately, or refrigerate for up to 3 days.

now you can take this sauce and turn it into mac & cheese!

for a mega batch, you need:

• 24 oz dried pasta. elbows, penne, whatever does a good job of holding onto sauce will work fine.
• 8 cups beecher’s flagship cheese sauce
• 4 oz grated cheddar cheese
• 4 oz grated gruyere cheese
• 1/2 - 1 t chipotle chili powder (optional)

preheat oven to 350.

1. butter two 9x13 baking dishes, or multiple smaller dishes if you’d prefer.
2. cook the pasta 2 minutes less than package directions. drain. rinse in cold water. drain again.
3. combine pasta & cheese sauce in a large bowl and mix carefully but completely. scrape pasta into prepared dishes and sprinkle each with even mixture of cheddar and gruyere. dust with chili powder if using.
4. bake, uncovered, for 20 minutes or until golden and bubbly. let cool 5 minutes before serving.

yes, i realize i’m giving you a recipe for two giant pans of mac & cheese. but, i’m doing it for a reason - this mac & cheese is the ideal candidate for your freezer. here’s where i tell you how to do it.

and, because i know you’re wondering:  yes, 24 oz of pasta is an odd number, seeing as how most pasta comes in 1 lb packages. but, seriously, don’t get all crazy and just throw all 2 lb of pasta into the boiling water. one of the key elements of this dish is the pasta to cheese sauce ratio. it’s going to seem like there’s way too much sauce, but trust me, once it’s all been baked, you’ll see why. don’t question it. just do what i’m telling you to do and you will not be sorry. damn it!