This recipe for potted cheese is one that is indelibly etched in my childhood memories. My mama would often make it for dinner parties, and I remember my brother and I being allowed to stay up late in our pajamas to help pass the hors d’oeuvres, which included rumaki, pineapple chunks wrapped in bacon, and this potted cheese. It was the height of elegance, and while we had to go to bed before the main course so I don’t have any intel on what that tended to be (maybe my mama will leave a comment and enlighten us) I still remember the deliciousness that was this tangy spreadable cheese in its cute little pot. Let’s go back in time and make it!It had all but disappeared from my thoughts until a couple of weeks ago when my mama made it out of the blue for another festive dinner, and I can’t remember the main course for that one either, because I was obsessed with the potted cheese.
It’s a conglomeration of cheddar cheese, sour cream, butter and a little sherry and mustard, with some capers swirled in for good measure. It’s ADDICTIVE. And when I asked my mama for the recipe and if I could borrow a little pot, she not only gave me the recipe, but she also gave me this adorable little blue and white pot. Which of course she had hanging around, because this is a woman who buys a couple of bunches of flowers at ShopRite every Friday and turns them into this for my house.
I KNOW. I’m a lucky girl. The recipe originated in a now out of print book called ESQUIRE PARTY BOOK which was published by the company I now work for, which back then was called Harper & Row. Bringing my entire life full circle.
She switched up a few things in the recipe, and so I have christened this recipe My Mama’s Potted Cheese, and I beg you to make it as soon as possible.
Cheesy deliciousness.
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Potted Cheese
Yield: about 1 1/2 cups 1x
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Pin RecipeIngredients
- 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
- 1/2 cup sour cream
- 2 tablespoons sherry
- 1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter, room temperature
- 1 tablespoon capers, plus extra for garnish
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
Instructions
- Combine all ingredients in a bowl and stir until thoroughly combined.
- Pack into a crock or a jar and chill for 24 hours.
- Garnish with a few more capers and serve with crackers or celery.
Boy, does this make memories!
The dinner that followed was sometimes
Beef Wellington or Koulibiac of Salmon.
“Those were the days…”
Ah, you were there!! Great memories.
Ok, I have just found my Friday evening at home “Happy Hour” snack! Have what I need to make it on hand, so bonus points there. Will whip it up tonight so it can chill out and be ready to help me chill out after a long week. Just realized the 3rd book in the Red Queen series came out this week so need to make that happen as well to find out what is going on with Mare and crew. And will have to hide it from the youngest teen daughter so I can read it first. :)
Oh, that book is SO GOOD. That book and this cheese and glass of wine is pretty much perfection!
Dude that cookbook cover is the coolest thing EVER!! If I ever write a cookbook I’m giving my cover designer that for inspiration. :) I love that your mom gave you a little pot to put this in. So cute. Sounds delicious!!
Right?? I love it!!
what can be used in place of the capers?
You actually can leave them out if you want – they are more of a garnish than a core ingredient – but a spoonful of drained dill pickle relish would be a good substitute!
Love you, Kate. Those were the good old days for sure. Making more of them as we go along but nostalgia–key ingredient……
We are!! xoxo
i’ve never heard of this, but it sounds very british. british royalty, actually! very interesting!
Sounds yum. What (non-alcoholic) ingredient can i replace the sherry with
I would sub in a tablespoon of balsamic vinegar…if you try that, let me know how it turns out!