Le Cellier Cheese and Beer Soup

[Welsh_Dragon]

Firstly, do you really regularly eat this or is it like Welsh laverbread, ie, you eat it once in a blue moon/for the tourists? My daughter loved it when we ate at Le Cellier, and DFB (re) published a recipe, so I decided to make it today. I ‘googled’ and adapted the recipe slightly and I am using Welsh cheese and beer, but it is slightly bland. What is your secret ingredient? Even have Justin Bieber music playing. Maybe Bryan Adams would help!

 

[momof2gr8kids]

To be honest I never had it until I visited Disney. Lol I was just telling my husband last week that I need to make it again. I think the recipe I used had a specific beer, but cant remember. Need to look it up and put on menu for this weekend!

 

[damo]

Never tried it.

 

[SaraMc]

We’ve made it a few times. You need to use Moosehead beer. Also season and taste along the way

 

[gypsy_at_heart]

Ok, is there anywhere in Canada that actually claims cheese soup as a Canadian food?

I’m from BC and I’d never heard of anyone claiming cheese soup as Canadian until I went to Disney World.

Cheese curds? Sure. Poutine, maple syrup, Nanimo bars, sugar pie, sockeye salmon (here in BC), butter tarts, Montreal smoked meat, beaver tails, Montreal’s bagels, pemeal bacon, tourtière, and Saskatoon berry pie - the list goes on and on. But cheese soup???

 

[hdrolfe]

Ok, is there anywhere in Canada that actually claims cheese soup as a Canadian food?

I’m from BC and I’d never heard of anyone claiming cheese soup as Canadian until I went to Disney World.

Cheese curds? Sure. Poutine, maple syrup, Nanimo bars, sugar pie, sockeye salmon (here in BC), butter tarts, Montreal smoked meat, beaver tails, Montreal’s bagels, pineal bacon, tourtière, was Saskatoon berry pie - the lis goes on and on. But cheese soup???

And now I'm hungry... Never heard of cheese soup per se, I mean yes I know what it is but not as something inherently Canadian. Perhaps it's a Quebec thing?

 

[samsteele]

Never heard of it until I went to Epcot. Not a traditional recipe at all in Upper Canada (Ontario). Never had it or heard of it in Canada.

Closest thing I can imagine is kirsch in Swiss cheese fondue? That remote from our menu.

 

[Gigi22]

Firstly, do you really regularly eat this or is it like Welsh laverbread, ie, you eat it once in a blue moon/for the tourists? My daughter loved it when we ate at Le Cellier, and DFB (re) published a recipe, so I decided to make it today. I ‘googled’ and adapted the recipe slightly and I am using Welsh cheese and beer, but it is slightly bland. What is your secret ingredient? Even have Justin Bieber music playing. Maybe Bryan Adams would help!

OK, just had to look up this recipe in my Chef Mickey Treasures from the Vault cookbook. *We never eat this soup at home.* (We are much more likely to have broccoli and cheese soup, which is yummy). The recipe for “Canadian Cheddar Cheese Soup” that appears in the cookbook calls for 1 lb. grated white cheddar cheese (really a lot of cheese), which is most likely an old white cheddar cheese, and 1/2 cup pale ale at room temperature. There’s also 1/2 lb. of diced bacon in the soup. The seasonings are 1 tablespoon Tabasco sauce, and 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce, coarse ground salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste. The garnishes are chopped scallions or chives — but looking very closely at the recipe illustration, I’m sure I see a sprinkle of crisply fried bacon bits as part of the garnish. If I got to the end of the recipe and thought it was too bland, I would likely add a bit more Tabasco and pepper, I would also add the diced crisply fried bacon to the garnish. As we all know, bacon fixes everything!

 

[Sunelis]

And now I'm hungry... Never heard of cheese soup per se, I mean yes I know what it is but not as something inherently Canadian. Perhaps it's a Quebec thing?

Not a Quebec thing, always assume it was a western Canada thing. lol

 

[Aladora]

Not a Quebec thing, always assume it was a western Canada thing. lol

I've been here in BC since 1992 and have never heard of it!

 

[KandyM]

Never heard of this soup in Saskatchewan.

 

[Gigi22]

Trying to remember how Le Cellier serves the soup. I think it comes with breadsticks? Just wondering if they are flavoured with garlic butter, which might make the soup seem more flavourful.

 

[Jaime C]

Does it seem like cheese soup could have migrated northward from your Vermont neighbors?? I live in VT and cheese is king here!

 

[dioxide45]

I grew up in Southern Ontario and never had or heard of the soup until visiting Disney World. Nothing Canadian really about it. Perhaps it is more of a Wisconsin thing? I don't know. I would be much happier if they sold Hostess Hickory Sticks in the store inside the Canada pavilion!

On another note, I have pretty much mastered Olive Garden's chicken gnocchi soup. In fact, I think mine is a little better.

 

[momof2gr8kids]

I grew up in Southern Ontario and never had or heard of the soup until visiting Disney World. Nothing Canadian really about it. Perhaps it is more of a Wisconsin thing? I don't know. I would be much happier if they sold Hostess Hickory Sticks in the store inside the Canada pavilion!

On another note, I have pretty much mastered Olive Garden's chicken gnocchi soup. In fact, I think mine is a little better.

LOL I'd like to get a double double from a Tims in the Canadian Pavilion.

 

[damo]

I grew up in Southern Ontario and never had or heard of the soup until visiting Disney World. Nothing Canadian really about it. Perhaps it is more of a Wisconsin thing? I don't know. I would be much happier if they sold Hostess Hickory Sticks in the store inside the Canada pavilion!

On another note, I have pretty much mastered Olive Garden's chicken gnocchi soup. In fact, I think mine is a little better.

Care to share?

 

[quandrea]

LOL I'd like to get a double double from a Tims in the Canadian Pavilion.

I’ve always wished there was a Tim’s. I’m not Eden a huge fan, but it just seems fitting.

 

[DenLo]

I have a feeling that the Cheese soup is adapted to American taste buds, as Poutine was more than the 1970s (or was 1980s when Le Cellier opened) guests could handle. I have only had it twice and was surprised both times how tasty it was. I think they add a lot more tabasco, Worcestershire and spices than the above recipe states. Even the brand of beer would matter, it would definitely have to be a Canadian pale ale.

 

[ottawamom]

I just did some digging on the internet and most sources lean towards it being popular in Wisconsin (cheese state). It was brought over with the German settlers. Like others here I've never had it.

Beer Cheese soup history

 

[dioxide45]

Care to share?

I think you are asking about the Gnocchi Soup recipe. If so, here you go. It makes a big batch!

Chicken Gnocchi Soup

1/3 cup olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
5 boneless skinless chicken thighs, cut into bite sized pieces.
1/3 cup flour
1/2 cup shredded carrots
4 stick celery, chopped
1/2 cup fresh spinach.
6 cups milk
4 cups heavy cream
4 cups water
6 chicken bullion cubes
Salt and pepper to taste
18 oz package pre-made gnocchi

Over medium heat, cook chicken and garlic in olive oil until cooked through.
Stir in flour and mix well until flour is cooked in to chicken.
Add other ingredients except gnocchi.
Cover and simmer at least 20 minutes, stirring occasionally until celery is tender.
Add gnocchi, cook for an additional three to four minutes. Gnocchi will float to top
when it is cooked through.

Notes: I have found that it is best if you can use mini gnocchi or better if you can find pecorino cheese gnocchi (I found it at World Market here in Florida).