The Luck of the Dutch Savory Classics

Lucky you if you’ve had the chance to visit Ireland’s beautiful County Cork, where dairy cows graze on rolling green hills in the shadow of Blarney Castle. From Northwest Cork comes Coolea, an Irish version of Holland’s Gouda. We pair Coolea here with another Dutch classic, Heineken beer. Bringing nations together, that’s what fondue is all about!

Ingredients:
• 1 pound Coolea, Gouda, or Edam cheese, grated
• 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 1 cup beer (Heineken or other pale lager)

Preparation:
Toss the cheese with the flour in a bowl and set aside. In a fondue pot, bring the beer to a boil over medium-high heat. Decrease the heat to medium-low and add the cheese mixture, ½ cup at a time, stirring until melted after each addition. Serve immediately.

Makes 2 cups

SERVE WITH: Irish brown soda bread cubes • toasted wheat or walnut bread cubes • apple chunks • boiled red or Yukon gold potatoes • roasted or boiled onions • cooked Irish sausages or bacon, cut into bite-size pieces

BEVERAGE SUGGESTIONS: brown ale • Amontillado sherry • blanc de noirs (sparkling wine)

CHEESE NOTES: The Willems family swapped a hectic life in the Amsterdam restaurant business for a farm in the remote countryside of Northwestern County Cork, Ireland. Today they produce Coolea, a Dutch Gouda-style cheese named after the tiny Irish village they now call home. Though it is very much like traditional Dutch Gouda, Coolea has a creamier texture and a nuttier, more caramel-like flavor. It makes a fantastic fondue.

This recipe was published in 'Fondue by Lenny Rice and Brigid Callinan'.