baked clarines w garlic

I’m back from the steaming hot cities of Shanghai and Singapore, and happy to be plugged into the chilly Sydney air.

As an Australian, you’d think I’d crave the warm arms of humid tropical locations, but the reality is I find them very hard to handle in business contexts. Dresses clinging to damp skin, feet squelching in high heels, wiping your brow and trying to keep your make up from melting off your face. Not fun, and it’s no doubt worse for men in their suit and ties.

Give me holidays instead: shorts, t-shirts and a glass of cold guava juice. That’s a totally different story. Then I can take it with grace.

The refreshing immersion into Sydney's cold weather calls for hearty fare and a wheel of melted cheese is just the trick. Sit back with a glass of white wine and some salted rosemary cracker shards to dip into the warm, gooey cheese puddle.

A perfect Saturday afternoon homecoming.

Baked Clarines w Garlic

Based on a recipe from Cheese Slices by Will Studd.

Ingredients:
1 x 500g Clarines
3 cloves garlic, sliced
Ground black pepper

Method:

1. Preheat oven to 180’C.

2. Bring cheese to room temperature.

3. Use a knife to poke holes into the top of the cheese

4. Insert garlic cloves into the top of the cheese and bake in oven for 20 minutes.

5. Garnish with black pepper.

Note: original recipe recommends also adding thyme sprigs and ½ cup Pinot Noir before baking. Sounds amazing too!