Sorry, no photos.... it's all gone :-(

We had dinner guests at Casa de Carteach yesterday, and the cookin was fine, let me tell ya. Wish I had photos to share, but they would be only images of empty plates and drained wine glasses.

I was in charge of the soup in this three course meal. We dined on toasted herbed rye bread with exceptionally good peppered oilve oil for dipping, vegetable lasagna (OMG) and a creamy cheese and broccoli soup. I managed to toast the herbed rye bread in my iron pans without damaging anything, so that course was an easy win. Jessi did the Lasagna, with no help from me. Once that was in the oven.... I made soup.

The soup had to be special, as one guest has waited nearly two years for it. There is a long story there, but we'll let that wait for another day. Take it as said... I needed to make this pot of soup memorable.

Beginning with a simple basic cheese sauce, I cut it with a bottle of Yuengling lager to make the soup base. Fine diced texas onion and diced mushrooms were sauteed in butter till sweetly browned, and added to the soup. Fresh broccoli was likewise gently sauteed in butter till it turned brilliant green with crispy edges, and then into the soup pot with it.

An hour of gentle simmering, and then time to adjust flavors. I can't really say in what amounts these happened, as I just tasted and tweaked till all was well. In the end, the following made it into the soup pot......

Minced fresh garlic
Dried granulated garlic
Fresh ground black pepper
Kosher salt
Crystal hot sauce
Thyme
Rosemary
Dried red pepper flakes
Shredded extra sharp cheddar
Sweet honey mead
And.... more beer.

I served it in deep bowls with freshly toasted croutons (more herbed rye bread). There is none left. The bowls are clean, and the bread is gone.

Hope I can make that again.......