How to make the perfect beer cheese soup – recipe | Felicity Cloake's How to make the perfect …

No wait! This richly flavoured cornerstone of the US midwest is a treat on a cold day – here’s how to perfect it

Beer and cheese, two ingredients that don’t immediately scream soup to much of the world, are the cornerstones of one such midwestern speciality, particularly beloved in Wisconsin, with its prominent dairy and brewing industries. Beer soups are also found from Alsace to Russia (and, indeed, Wisconsin has a significant northern European heritage population). The cheese, however, appears to be an inspired American addition (though, seeing as Germany boasts both beer and cheese soups, I’m prepared to stand corrected), playing off the bittersweetness of the beer to produce a richly flavoured dish that’s perfectly suited to harsh midwestern winters. That said, it’s a treat on a cold day wherever you are.

(Note: this is not to be confused with German obatzda, while a thicker version is a popular hot dip in Kentucky, in particular.)