Beaumond Bread

"Cheese has always been a food that both sophisticated and simple humans love."

~M.F.K. Fisher, How to Cook a Wolf (1942)

"Wow"  "Oh wow"  Those were the only words I heard for the five minutes this bread was on the table before we inhaled it.  The inspiration for the recipe came from one I found in a cookbook called Old Fashioned Country Christmas.  The page has been dog-eared for 10 years.  Why does it take me so long to try these things?  It was easy, too.  If you like Swiss cheese, you WANT to try this.  Now it will probably be making a weekly appearance here until we get sick of it.  This could be an appetizer, paired with soup or salad for a light meal, or a fun snack anytime.  

I bought a 9 ounce loaf of French bread, but the amount of spread the recipe makes is enough for a 12-15 ounce loaf.  One last thing; a couple teaspoons of minced fresh rosemary added to the butter mixture or sprinkled on top before baking is a nice twist.

Beaumond Bread

1 loaf French bread (9 to 15 ounces)

8 to 12 ounces of Swiss cheese slices

3 tablespoons minced onion

1/2 teaspoon beaumond seasoning*

1/2 cup butter, softened

1 teaspoon dry mustard

2 t. lemon juice

1/4 cup Parmesan cheese

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  In a medium bowl, mix together the butter, onion, beaumond seasoning, dry mustard lemon juice and Parmesan cheese. *If you cannot find beaumond seasoning at your local market, you can make it yourself by combining equal parts onion powder and celery salt.

Place French bread on a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper or tin foil.  Without cutting all the way through, make diagonal cuts in the French bread all the way across and then back the opposite way.

 Stuff the cuts with Swiss cheese.

Spread butter mixture all over the top.

Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes or until golden brown.  Have everyone pull the bread apart.