I have hardly any inclinations towards sports but there are a few exceptions. Those being soccer, hockey, and the excuse-to-feast that is the SUPERBOWL. I normally don’t root for any team in particular during Superbowl games, I just want it to be an exciting game (which this year’s was!) My roommates felt the same way, we just wanted an excuse to make a bunch of food.
However, considering what I made for the watch party, you’d guess I was rooting for one team in particular. I can’t help it that Wisconsin makes such delicous cheese and soaks their brats in micro-brewed beer. How can you not root for a place like that? I decided to make beer cheese fondue that we could dip the beer bread, beer-soaked brats, and fruit into.
Beer bread is one of the easiest quick breads to make. And it consistently comes out beautiful. There are also numerous variations of the recipe that you can experiment with. For instance, the recipe I used below called for dill and cheddar cheese, but I also added rosemary and garlic for more flavor. You can also experiment with different beers and ales. For this batch, I just used Miller Lite but a darker beer would bring out a deeper flavor.
The fondue was also really easy to make. I had never made fondue before, so I was wary going into the process, but it’s not a big deal at all. Here’s the recipe I used. Bread, brats, fruit, and veggies are great for dipping.
Sarah dipping into the 'due.
In the end, we all know which team came out on top. But I think the real winner of yesterday’s match up was the food. It brings sports fans and non-fans together through the common love for all things dippable and bacon wrapped. It’s really just a fun time of the year to jump on a team bandwagon, then maybe jump off at half-time, and then jump back on again in time to yell and cheer for the victors.
I’m already looking forward to next year’s feast!
Beer Bread (adapted from Farmgirl Fare)
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon baking powder
2 tablespoons chopped fresh dill (or 2 tsps. dried)
1 tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary (or 1 tsps. dried)
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 cup finely grated sharp cheddar cheese
12 ounces beer
Optional glaze:
1 egg and 2 tsps. water, beaten. Brush on 15 minutes into baking. It gives the top of the loaf a beautiful, golden color.
Directions:
Heat oven to 375°. Combine flour, sugar, salt, baking powder, dill, rosemary, garlic, and cheddar in a large mixing bowl. Slowly stir in beer and mix just until combined. Batter will be thick. Spread in a greased 8-in. loaf pan and bake until golden brown and a toothpick stuck in the center comes out clean, about 45 minutes.
Cool in the pan on a rack for 10 minutes. Remove from pan and cool 10 more minutes. Serve warm or at room temperature.
