We’re slowly approaching my favorite food time of the year, spring and summer. I love the hearty dishes of the winter, but after months of enduring snow and cold weather I’m ready for light and summery dishes. Lots of fish and cold salads await us. But for now we stay entrenched in the hearty meals. So what better way to celebrate the changing of the seasons than to bring together two of my favorite items: cheddar cheese soup and the infamous BLT.
I don’t know about you, but I like my BLT simple. Bread, lettuce, juicy vine ripe tomatoes, crisp bacon, and homemade mayo. That’s a winning combination in my book. No fancy ingredients and no “expert techniques.” The whole point of a BLT is to be refreshing and comfortable. That was my intent when bringing a bit of spring to the otherwise robust cheddar cheese soup I make on occasion.
And make no mistake; this is not a brothy slurp-happy soup. This is a spoon bending combination of bacon, cheese, milk, and aromatics. It will fill you up and make you happy. It’s the way a winter soup should be. Let the broth based soups have their moment to shine when June arrives. For now give me something that is akin to eating a 7-course meal in liquid form.
This particular cheddar cheese soup is a variation of that found at the renowned Le Cellier in Epcot down in Disney World. It pulls no punches, and is invariably easier to get a hold of than a reservation to the restaurant. Which is perfectly fine, because Le Cellier is not a place I long to visit. With so many fantastic dining options in Disney World, and Epcot’s World Showcase right next door, there’s no reason to fret over reservations. Plant yourself at the vastly superior Chefs de France if you want a great meal.
It’s the sandwich you should take note of here. The soup is easy, but the BLT is simplicity perfected. A quick toasting in the oven gets your ciabatta bread ready to handle the creamy goodness of your homemade mayo. You are making your own mayo for this, right? I mean Hellmann’s is a great product I use weekly, but some foods deserve so much more.
This time around I had only some baby spinach available and begrudgingly put it on the sandwich to find it was the perfect pairing. The sweet and slightly tart ripe tomato drips its juices all over the place as you break through the crust of the bread. While bacon is usually touted as one of the wonders of the food world, it has no place more divine than in a BLT. The smoky saltiness not only enhances everything it touches but is itself turned mouthwateringly extravagant in the confines of the mayo that slathers around.
