Fromage Fort

This is my absolute favorite party recipe. It's invariably a hit, and it has a classy French name and comes from a famous chef. Little does anyone suspect that the whole recipe is "throw all the dairy in your fridge into the food processor, with a splash of wine and some garlic." Voila, cheese dip - simple and bulletproof.

The recipe will change slightly every time you make it, based on the combination of cheese you have on hand. If it seems too sharp, you can add butter or sour cream to gain sweetness without sharpness. And someday, I will remember that my food processor takes ages to break down a solid brick of old Parmesan cheese, and anything that hard should be grated first.

I first saw Jacques Pepin do this recipe years ago on PBS - I remember it as the series with Julia Child, but perhaps it was the one with his daughter Claudine. Either way, I'm thrilled to have a copy in his cookbook.