According to Judy Hueber, innkeeper and co-owner of the Chesterfield Inn in West Chesterfield, NH, "Food is my life". Her passion and love for fine food contributes to the inn and restaurant's success and the culinary getaways enjoyed by guests here.
Judy told BedandBreakfast.com, "We make yeast bread for dinner daily at the inn and have recently been adding savory muffins and bread sticks to the bread baskets. I'd like to share this recipe for cheese straws. They're great as an hors d'oeuvres with cocktails, set upright in wine glasses around the room, or wrapped in a linen napkin in a bread basket with the bread during dinner."
Chesterfield Inn Cheese Sticks
(Makes about 60 cheese sticks)
Ingredients:
2 1/2 cups unbleached flour
pinch salt
1 1/2 sticks cold butter, cut into small pieces
1/2 pound cold cream cheese
5 tablespoons ice water
2 eggs lightly beaten
1 tablespoon milk
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper
1 teaspoon black pepper
1 teaspoon sesame seeds
1 teaspoon poppy seeds
1 teaspoon caraway seeds
1/4 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese
In a food processor, process the flour with the salt until blended.
Add butter and cream cheese and pulse until the mixture resembles corn meal. With the machine on, add the ice water and pulse until the dough forms a ball. Halve the dough and flatten each piece into a square. Wrap each piece in waxed paper and chill at least 30 minutes.
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Line 2 sheet pans with parchment. Roll out one of the pieces of dough on a lightly floured surface to a 16 by 14 inch rectangle about 1/8 inch thick. Trim the edges so that they're straight.
Beat the eggs with the milk. Brush the dough with half of the egg wash. Sprinkle with 1/2 teaspoon salt and half of the peppers, seeds, and cheese. Using a pastry wheel, cut the dough lengthwise into 1/2 inch strips. Twist the end of each strip in opposite directions to shape the straws and arrange them 1/2 inch apart on the pans.
Bake about 20 minutes or until lightly browned. Transfer to a rack and let cool. Repeat for the remaining dough and ingredients.
Once cooled, serve them to guests or enjoy them as wonderful snacks or a dinner accompaniment.
When you go:
Chesterfield Inn, 20 Cross Road, West Chesterfield, NH 03466, 800-365-5515
Resting on a hillside with sweeping views of the Connecticut River Valley, the Chesterfield Inn is a romantic New Hampshire getaway set amid lush gardens. Each of the fifteen guest rooms at this New Hampshire luxury inn is richly appointed with an air of elegance and romance, and many include gas fireplaces, whirlpool tubs, or a private terrace. Your day starts with a hearty country breakfast, and each evening fresh cut flowers and candlelight provide the perfect backdrop for an incredible dining experience here.
