For my birthday, our old friends Kevin and Carol gave me an Amazon gift card. It was the perfect present, because they know how much I love having Amazon credit. I’m not much of a clothes or trinkets shopper, but let me loose on Kindle e-books and cookware, and I’m as happy as a pig in mud.
One of the first books I bought was the Saveur New Classics Cookbook. It was just $10 (as compared to $26 in print copy) and offers 1,000 recipes from the excellent magazine of the same name…
The first thing that caught my eye was Ella Fitzgerald’s Favourite Cheddar Cheese Log. I’ve changed the recipe up a bit, adding a little Kirsch for that 70’s fondue feel, and omitting the parsley (I figured it would last longer that way, and I wanted to serve it over the entire Festival).
- 500g assorted cheeses
- ½ teaspoon Tabasco sauce
- 1 tsp dijon mustard
- 3 chipotle chillies in adobo, chopped
- Kirsch as needed
- ½ cup chopped pecans
Note: like the Fromage Fort, this is a great way to use up leftover cheeses. I’ve made this recipe twice now – once with Margaret River cheddar, Greek kefolagraviera and Philadelphia cream cheese; the second time with Dorset cheddar and aged Parmigiano.
1. Using the grating blade on a large food processor, grate the hard cheeses. Switch to the chopping blade, then add in any soft cheeses, the Tabasco, mustard, and chillies. Blitz together, adding as much Kirsch as needed (or desired) to form a cheesy paste. It should be firm enough to shape.
2. Spread the chopped pecans over a large piece of cling film. Scrape the cheese over the top and shape into a rough log, then roll it in the nuts. Use the cling film to form the shape neatly. Wrap tightly then leave in the fridge to harden up for a few hours. The flavour will mellow and integrate over a couple of days.
Serve with homemade Melba Toast!
Fig Jam and Lime Cordial 
Love ‘cheese logs’ – great recipe! About Ella Fitzgerald – she used to be on TV when I was a teenager but I had no idea who she was… Several years ago I bought a CD of some of her hits and I’ve been in love with her ever since !!
She has such a beautiful voice, doesn’t she! :)
Perfect picnic fare. This on homemade toast sounds amazing.
Maz, it works well with all sorts of cheese (although I haven’t tried it with blue). Perfect vego food too! :)
Very nice Celia.
Cheers Glenda, thanks! :)
Oh I LOVE cheese! This looks great. And I too am an Amazon shopper. I am going to make noises about Amazon gift cards as presssies.. c
Celi, they’re the best gifts. I love being able to buy books for weeks/months – and there’s so much available on Kindle for just a few dollars each time!
Like you and miss c from The Farmy I am an Amazon shopper – what a great idea to ask for gift cards! But I think I love cheese even more and this sounds deeeelish :) What a great way to use up bits of cheese in the fridge – no waste, you get to enjoy all the cheeses and then when it’s all used up….you get to go and buy more. Sounds like a perfect cheese situation to me ;)
Tanya, it actually started as a way to use up my leftover chipotle in adobo! The original recipe used chopped pimentos, I think.
Great what you found on Amazon! This recipe just looks so great. And I love cheese. Thank you for sharing.
Thank you! Hope you enjoy it!
You have leftover cheese? I shall endeavour to… as the cheese log is wonderfully celebratory :)
Oh you know me, I tend to have leftover everything! :)
We vegans can make something that at least looks like that promising log but back in the 70’s when that log was king, veganism was just sprouting and no-one would have thought of combining anything other than cheese and booze to make this scrumptious log. Cheers for sharing memories of my Aunty Marg’s party trick Ms Celia :)
Fran, a friend who was over to dinner made the same comment – it was his aunt’s party favour from the 70s! :)
This looks great , it will be my next project. Thanks!
Hope you like it!
The addition of Kirsch was definitely a great idea! Cheese is the best, isn’t it?!
I have trouble using Kirsch without disco music playing in my head. But I do so love it with cheese! :)
Kirsch with disco… now that’s a great thought! ;)
That’s a great idea- using up all the bits and pieces of cheese, especially for a party.
Fra, it makes quite a large log – perfect for entertaining! :)
Thanks Celia, I put cheese logs in my Christmas Hampers for several bed & breakfast accommodation places every season.
This year will be exceptional, which fits my bill perfectly :)) gorgeous!
Roni, I was surprised how mellow the flavour is, despite the chillies and tabasco and mustard! Hope you like it! :)
Before we had children, we used to host wonderful dinner parties with Ella Fitzgerald playing on the CD playing. I do love the look of this cheese log. It looks like you received some excellent gifts for your birthday xx
I really did, thanks love. Yours is this year too, isn’t it? :)
Oh I hint far and wide at present-giving time for Amazon gift cards in order to buy the same goodies as you! A Greenie hanging her head in shame I still love to hold my cookery books in hand tho’ :) ! Ella Fitzgerald – I still have a large collection of well-kept vinyl from the era and she surely features on the regular play-menu!!
Eha, she’s really wonderful isn’t she? I love listening to her music.. :)
Two of my very favourites in in one post! Ella Fitzgerald and cheese! I love singing Ella’s jazz songs around the house! Liz x
Liz, I reckon this recipe is Thermomixable, what do you think? :)
Mmmmmmm cheese log!
Yes indeed.. :)
This sounds really good, Celia. :)
Wow! Looks fab! I’d be very happy with Amazon vouchers for any birthday!
Oh how I love getting Amazon money! Most gift cards are a pain, but Amazon keep track of the balance, and I can spend it a dollar at a time, with a cup of tea sitting at my computer! :)
Love it! LOVE IT!!!!! I can sit here in my kitchen and am surrounded by Amazon purchases, in and out of my cupboards!! Give me Amazon and TKMaxx and I’m sorted! X
This would be a huge hit on carpet picnic nights!
Carpet picnic nights! At home, in front of the tv, Gretchen? :)
Usually Friday nights as I’m tired of cooking by then! In the family room on the floor with a kid friendly movie and wine for the adults! A nice way to start the weekend.
This looks like such a great recipe for entertaining (and yes I guess I include just entertaining the family)
BTW thanks for the kind comment on your overnight sourdough bread – we love it so much and I had meant to drop you a comment to let you know but I get distracted easily! We had cheese sandwiches using this bread at the zoo yesterday and it was so good – would be excellent with this fondu log
Johanna, I’m so happy it’s working well for you. Thanks for the link love! :)
If that isn’t a Eurovision dish, I don’t know what is….
Burn baby burn.. :)
I’m crazy about having Amazon credit, too, Celia. I can have so much fun picking Kindle books. What a great way to use all those bits of leftover cheese! I can imagine making this log quite often. The chopped chipotles is a really nice touch. :-)
Debra, I make it entirely in the food processor, so there’s only one thing to clean up and I don’t accidentally grate my fingers in the process! :)
Love these pecan-cheese logs, wow! We will want to eat them on their own or with any bread. Tasty!!
Julie & Alesah
Gourmet Getaways xx
Thanks Julie! :)
Oh that does look very tasty & I love cheese for snacks. I love getting those amazon gift cards & they all go toward books by my favorite authors that I just can’t wait for the library.
Di, isn’t it great? :) Hope all is well over there and the wedding plans are coming along! xxx
Doing well & winter is finally letting go of us. I haven’t been posting due to all those little wedding projects. But it’s fun and August will be here before you know it. We’ve got her bridal shower in a couple of weeks so there’s been plenty of activity.
Brilliant idea
What a great recipe, love that it uses up little bits of cheese. Happy belated birthday.