hoppy cheddar sauce

​This recipe is inspired by one of my favorite podcasts, Pod Save America. When a podcast has a sponsor, the hosts usually have to read ad copy provided by the sponsoring company. Usually, you just read the ad copy, and move on. The the hosts of this show, however, tend to make fun of the ad copy that these companies sometimes come up with. Perplexing, I know. I mean, the sponsors are clients, and one doesn't make fun of one's client, right? Not in the Crooked Media universe...they burn away on what the sponsors' advertising teams write for them.

But I suppose, as former speech writers for President Obama, if anyone can properly burn someone's writing, it's them. As a listener, it makes me actually look forward to the ads, which I assume the hosts are fully aware of. I do wonder how they explain that to the sponsors. I guess I could have asked one of the hosts when I randomly met him (Jon Lovett) at an LA vegan eatery last week. Here's what it looked like when that happened...

It wasn't that random, actually...it was at a place a block away from the venue where we just saw him perform his live podcast Lovett or Leave It. One of the podcast sponsors is a meal kit delivery service who boasts a "hoppy cheddar sauce" as one of the recipes you can make. The hosts have been having lots of fun with that phrase for months.  So, once I was done fanboy-ing, I had the thought to veganize the "hoppy cheddar sauce" he enjoys making fun of so much. So here's that.

Makes about 2 cups.

​1/2 cup peeled and steamed sweet potatoes (you may know them as “yams” but technically they’re sweet potatoes)
1/2 cup chickpeas
3/4 cup aquafaba (liquid from one can of chickpeas)
2 tablespoons refined coconut oil
2 tablespoons nutritional yeast
1 tablespoon light miso (yellow or white)
1 tablespoon tapioca starch/flour
2 teaspoons lemon juice 
2 teaspoons tomato paste
1/4 teaspoon onion powder 
1/4 teaspoon granulated garlic
1/4 teaspoon turmeric
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup of your favorite IPA

In a blender, place all ingredients except for the beer. Blend on high until smooth.

In a small saucepan, add the beer and the puree from the blender, and stir to combine. Heat over medium heat, stirring continually, until it begins to bubble and thicken, 3 to 4 minutes. Season with salt to taste. End of recipe.