Extra Sharp Cheddar Spread

(about 1 1/2 cups)

I used to envy my sister who lives in California and has easy access to Trader Joe's. They seemed to be all over the place and I loved to accompany her there whenever I was in town for a visit. Well, they finally arrived in Texas, and yesterday I went to the grand opening of one in my neighborhood. It probably wasn't the best day to go as it was extremely crowded, although I must say I was very impressed by how quickly and smoothly they managed to check everyone out.

Despite this being their first day, some of the produce at Trader Joe's was pretty disappointing. The lemons looked old, most of the jalapenos had some kind of fungus developing on the stems and the corn was way past its prime. The cheese department on the other hand was terrific. They had a good selection of cheeses. I walked away with four different varieties of "extra sharp" cheddar I wasn't familiar with to try out at home.

Hopefully their produce will be in better shape the next time I'm there.

8 oz extra sharp cheddar cheese, I used a white one
3-4 tbsp white wine such as Sauvignon Blanc
2-3 tbsp sour cream
1 tsp Dijon mustard
1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
1/2 clove garlic, minced
a few pinches cayenne pepper

Cut the cheese into one inch or smaller chunks and place into the bowl of a food processor along with 1 tablespoon of wine (to start), 2 tablespoons of sour cream, mustard, Worcestershire sauce, garlic and cayenne. Start by pulsing the mixture until the cheese breaks up. Scrape down the sides, if needed.

With the motor running add more wine and/or sour cream until you have a nice smooth consistency for spreading. Taste and adjust the seasoning, if necessary.