Wanted to recreate the port wine cheese balls of my childhood and Hickory Farms fame but with quality ingredients and minus that weird color. Found the secret to making any cheese spread spreadable is combining the chosen cheese and neufchatel or cream cheese in equal parts. The Worcestershire and garlic give it that familiar tang. The texture is not a smooth as the industrial processed versions, but your guests won’t care. They’ll love it! Make sure to toast the walnuts and do not roll the logs in them until just before serving to ensure they are crisp.

  • Yield: Four 5 oz logs
  • Difficulty: Easy
  • Total: 3 hours 
  • Active: 15 minutes

Ingredients (6)

  • 10 oz. extra-sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
  • 10 oz. nuefchatel cheese
  • 4 T port wine
  • 2 T Worcestershire
  • 2 garlic cloves, minced
  • chopped, toasted walnuts

Instructions

  1. Combine all ingredients except walnuts in food processor. Process until smooth, scraping the sides down.
  2. Make logs. Divide mixture into 4 equal mounds and place each mound onto foot-long sheets of plastic wrap. Covering the mound of cheese with the plastic, pull the cheese towards you and begin to shape a cylinder. Roll in remainder of plastic sheet and secure the sides with twist ties or twine. Refrigerate for at least a few hours to allow log to set, up to 2 days.
  3. Remove from plastic carefully. Log will be set, but not solid. Roll in chopped, toasted walnuts and serve with crackers.