On a cold, blustery winter day, what tastes better than a bowl of hot soup? Rich, hearty, and creamy potato soup comes to mind when the temperature dips, and it sure does hit the spot. Here I’ve combined the elements of a basic potato soup with the decadence of nutty Jarlsberg cheese, a delicious pale ale, and of course – bacon – because it makes everything better.

Ingredients:

• 4 slices of bacon
• 1 small onion, chopped
• 1 stalk celery, chopped
• 2 carrots, chopped
• 2 large russet potatoes, unpeeled and chopped
• 12-oz beer, pale or amber ale
  
• 3 cups chicken stock 
• 1 cup milk
• 1.5 cups grated Jarlsberg cheese
• 3 tbsp chopped parsley, save 1 tbsp for garnish
• salt, pepper to taste

Directions

In a large stock pot, cook the bacon until crisp. Remove the bacon with a slotted spoon and drain on a paper towel. When cool, break into small pieces and set aside to use as garnish. Add the onion, carrot, and celery to the bacon drippings in the pan and sauté until softened. Add the beer and cook until the liquid is reduced to about half. Add the potatoes, season the vegetables with salt and pepper, then add the chicken stock. Simmer until the potatoes are soft, about 20 minutes. Turn off the heat, add the parsley and then purée the soup using an immersion blender. Now stir in the cheese until melted. Stir in the milk – heat the soup if necessary but do not boil. Garnish with crisp bacon bits and parsley.