Cheddar Ale Soup with Croutons

serves 2 people dinner

• day old bread, butter, garlic clove
• 1 12 oz bottle of India Pale Ale
• 2 1/2 cups of chicken stock
• 4 cups of cheddar cheese
• 1 medium onion diced
• 3 T of butter
• 1/3 cup flour
• your blob of your favorite mustard
• pinches of cumin
• salt and pepper

Heat the 3T of butter in a pot. Fry onions until clear.  Add flour and mustard and cumin and mix well, it should be dry. Stir in the stock and simmer until it is thick. Add the ale and then cheese and stir constantly.  The cheese should melt in about five minutes. Pour the soup into your blender and blend.  Return to the pot and reheat on low adding salt and pepper.

Make croutons! Tear bread, rub with garlic clove, heat butter in a pan, toss the bread in the butter and brown.  If you want, throw some crunchies on top, maybe corn or chives or scallions? And for the record, this soup is extra tasty with a beer on the side.