SERVES 4 – 6

To our minds, the classic "rabbit", that creamy amalgam of cheddar and beer bearing a misleading name (the origins of which remain murky), is the pinnacle of cheese cookery. According to Bob Brown, author of The Complete Book of Cheese (Gramercy, 1955), which contains the recipe on which this one is based, "there is but one traditional cheese" for welsh rabbit: cheddar.

3 1⁄2 cups (about 3⁄4 lb.) grated
   aged English cheddar
1⁄4 cup light beer or ale
2 tbsp. butter
2 tsp. worcestershire sauce
1⁄2 tsp. kosher salt
1⁄2 tsp. dry mustard
Dash of Tabasco
4-6 slices of crustless, toasted wheat bread
Ground pepper

1. Combine cheddar, beer, butter, worcestershire sauce, salt, dry mustard, and a dash of Tabasco in a medium pot. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until it melts into a smooth sauce, 4–5 minutes.

2. Pour melted cheese over slices of bread, sprinkle with ground pepper, if you like, and serve at once.