Savory Toasted Cheese 
Redaction by THL Dagonell Collingwood

This recipe is from "The Closet of the Eminently Learned Sir
Kenelme Digbie Opened" which was originally published in 
1669.  For his services to the crown, Sir Digbie was married 
to an heiress to give him lands and increase his station.
However, the heiress was literally a teen-aged bride and Sir
Digbie had to write down everything for her because she had
never run a household before.  The book is an excellent view
into the daily life of a medieval household.

SAVOURY TOSTED OR MELTED CHEESE (p. 228)
"Cut pieces of quick, fat, rich, well tasted cheese, (as the 
best of Brye, Cheshire, &c. or sharp thick Cream-cheese) 
into a dish of thick beaten melted Butter, that hath served 
for Sparages or the like, or pease, or other boiled Sallet, 
or ragout of meat, or gravy of Mutton: and, if you will, 
Chop some of the Asparages amoung it, or slices of Gambon of 
Bacon, or fresh-collops, or Onions, or Sibboulets, or 
Anchovis, and set all this to melt upon a Chafingdish of 
Coals, and stir all well together, to Incorporate them; and 
when all is of equal consistence, strew some gross 
White-Pepper on it, and eat it with tosts or crusts of White 
bread.  You may scorch it at the top with a hot Fire-Shovel."

Savory Toasted Cheese
 
8   oz. Brie cheese
8   oz. cream cheese
8   oz. butter, softened
1   large onion, diced
1   tablespoon olive oil
10  strips of bacon
 
Fry onion in olive oil until golden brown and set aside. Fry 
bacon until crispy and drain on a paper towel.  Preheat oven 
to 350ø.   Combine brie cheese, cream cheese and butter in a 
medium sized bowl and mash until thoroughly  blended.  Add 
diced onion and crumble in bacon pieces and stir everything 
together.  Bake for twenty minutes, or until the top turns a 
golden brown.  

We made a double batch for Heronter's Twelfth Night.  It may 
be used as a sauce over pasta or vegetables, as a dip with 
fondue bread, or served as is with an angioplasty on the side. :D