By: Julia Lam

Jorge grew up in Hong Kong with a father who captained a Portuguese ship. It was the Club Lusitano where his dad would kick back with a glass of whiskey after a long day. An exclusive association for semi-successful Portuguese folks in Hong Kong, of which Jorge’s father was among.
Occasionally, Jorge visited the club alongside his dad. They’d place their orders; Jorge’s personal favorite was cheese toast. Served in pairs -- one for each of them -- was a shockingly tangy, creamy spread smeared on a crunchy slice of toast. The bread, a mere vessel for the cheesy delight splayed atop, was served with the crusts cut clean off.
He watched his father’s stoic eyes melt as they ate. It was one time they truly got to sit down together, and though Jorge would never admit it, he treasured those moments.
After his father’s passing,  he stopped attending the club. Then the Larcinas came, proud, wealthy childhood friends of Jorge’s, and old members of Lusitanos. Terry Larcina, the enigmatic of the bunch, pulled Jorge’s wife Maria aside one night. She reached into her purse, in which sat a thick notebook. Recipes spilled over the pages and Terry landed on one. Surely it originated from the head chef at Lusitano, Maria speculated. The beloved cheese toast recipe. Maria examined the details then handed the recipe back; an unspoken understanding that she couldn’t keep the physical copy. This was a secret, a divine dish not to be shared with just anyone.
​She carried the secret with her as she made the toasts. One for her, one for Jorge. Biting into the smooth spread she saw herself falling in love in the dimly lit streets of Hong Kong. In turn, Jorge saw his father, his occasionally soft eyes and grand stature. Years following, Maria would make the toasts for her kids. They were never aware of its origin : their eyes softened at the rich taste but the memories would be their own. Unconnected from the past. They’d pry her for the recipe; no surprise, she never budged. Until her granddaughter asked. Maria’s memory was slipping, sand through an hourglass. Her daughter saw it, her granddaughter pretended not to. It was some miracle she remembered the cheese toast. It was some miracle that after 40 years of guarding the recipe she looked into her granddaughter's eyes and knew it was time to share. But after all, she was 85. It was time.

The not-so-secret recipe

makes 12 toasts
total time: 30 minutes
Ingredients:
  • ½ lb cheddar cheese
  • ½ lb edam cheese
  • 3 tbsp sweet mustard
  • 1 tsp dry mustard (replace - 1 tsp reg)
  • 1 egg
  • A dash of worcestershire sauce
  • 3 oz butter  (3 ½ tbsp, slightly full)
  • 3 oz sugar  (6 tbsp)
  • 12 slices of italian bread
Directions:
  1. Preheat your oven to 400 degrees  (200 degrees celcius) and line a cookie sheet with parchment paper.
  2. Lay out your bread on the cookie sheet.
  3. Shred the edam and cheddar cheese.
  4. Combine the cheese, sweet and dry mustard, egg, worcestershire sauce, butter and sugar in a food processor. Blend until you reach a thick and sticky consistency, slightly chunky from the shredded cheese. Add a dash of milk if too thick)
  5. Generously slather the cheese spread on each slice of bread.
  6. Bake bread in the preheated oven for 15 minutes. 
  7. Transfer your toasts onto a cooling rack and let them cool for 10 minutes.
  8. Cut the crusts off the toast. 
  9. Serve and enjoy! (best served in pairs with one other person)

*store any extra/leftover cheese spread in the fridge
​*view slideshow above for reference
*in the slideshow I only make half the batch
Club Lusitano website:  www.clublusitano.com/