Daria Doering

Isn’t it funny when you hear something that you just think of as normal referred to as “retro”? Today’s example: our son is coming to visit, so I thought I would prepare a special delicacy: a port wine cheese ball! I looked for recipes to see if I could find anything even better than the recipe I already have. I found several recipes for “retro port wine cheese ball,” with references to how this dish was popular in the ‘70’s! Well, um, okay, it is still an awesome appetizer, though I normally never make or eat it because it is so fattening.

However, after realizing I would have to buy a whole bottle of port wine to make this recipe, and we are not in the habit of consuming port wine otherwise, I decided on a “brandy infused cheese ball,” since I already have brandy on hand.

So I made two cheese balls – one a savory brandy-infused one with Worcestershire sauce and various spices, and the other flavored with fig preserves. However I don’t like them nearly as much as the port wine variety! You can’t even taste the brandy! So next time I will spring for the port wine. Unless these cheese balls improve so much over the next few hours or days that I change my mind. Sometimes that does happen.

I also just remembered that my husband has been pining after a Christmas goose cooked in port wine, which a friend of his cooked one year. But sorry, I am not cooking a goose, just no. Maybe I could cook a chicken in port wine!