I was recently reading a comical description of literary discussion groups. The author described a typical get-together, with a gaggle of introverts trying to one-up one another with dazzling displays of hyper intelligence. She has obviously never been to my book group.

I'll admit that my book group started out on a similar track. We chose books that were topical or on the bestseller list and had literary merit. We discussed symbolism and historical significance and character development. We talked about things like "subverting the paradigm."

But before long we had subverted the paradigm so far that we weren't even talking about books. We went from choosing, buying and reading books to choosing and buying (but not reading) books to just choosing books every month to just throwing the whole idea out the window.

Now we get together and drink, tell stories about our kids, and laugh for hours. We still call ourselves a book club, but we don’t even pretend we’re actually reading books.

It will soon be my turn to host. During the summer months, we switch from wine and beer to drinks that involve ice and a blender. I’ve got some good tequila on hand already, but I’ve been looking for something other than the same old guacamole to serve with it. When in doubt, I look to my favorite old standby: cheese.

After a few recent trips to Texas, I have come to realize what most Lone Star State residents know all too well: what a wonderful thing a good chile con queso can be. But most recipes I’ve been able to find call for the tried and true Texas queso combination of Velveeta processed cheese and Ro*Tel diced tomatoes and chiles.

While I don't begrudge Texans their food traditions, I myself have found Velveeta difficult to swallow since my early twenties, when one of my housemates conducted Velveeta experiments. (In case you’re interested, you can leave a block of unwrapped and uncovered Velveeta in a basement for twelve months and it will remain completely unchanged.)

I applied my Yankee cooking methods to the queso conundrum and started experimenting with béchamel sauce and Monterey Jack. The texture was perfect, but I needed more flavor. I started rooting around in my cupboards for canned diced chiles and came across the perfect solution: a jar of garlic and hot peppers in olive oil, sold by Dellalo as pasta sauce starter. Italy + Tex-Mex = delicious.

The Dellalo pasta starter is expensive and difficult to find, though, so I’m including this recipe from the food blog Homesick Texan. It requires just a little more work chopping up chiles and garlic, but you can easily control just how spicy your queso dip ends up by choosing hotter or milder chiles. The most important tip for a smooth homemade queso is to add the cheese just a little at a time, and let it melt completely before adding more.

Chile Con Queso
adapted from the Homesick Texan blog

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup diced onion


• 4 cloves of garlic, minced


• 3 Serrano peppers diced


• 3 jalapeno peppers diced


• 2 tablespoons of butter


• 2 tablespoons of flour


• 1 cup of milk


• 6 cups of shredded Monterey Jack


• 1/2 cup of cilantro, chopped


• 2 plum tomatoes, peeled and diced (you can use canned if tomatoes aren’t in season)


• 1/2 cup of sour cream

Method:

1. Melt the butter in a saucepan on medium-low heat, then cook the onions and peppers, stirring frequently for about five minutes or until onions are translucent.


2. Add the garlic and cook, stirring frequently, for another minute.


3. Whisk the flour into the butter, vegetable mix and cook for about 30 seconds.


4. Slowly whisk the milk into the butter and flour mixture, and cook on medium, whisking constantly until sauce is thick, about five minutes. Stir in the cilantro and tomatoes.


5. Turn heat down to low, and a 1/4-cup at a time, slowly add the shredded cheese, stirring until completely melted. Repeat.


6. Stir in the sour cream.

Serve with tortilla chips and margaritas at your book club - or whatever you call your regular get-together with good friends.

Jessica Webster leads the Food & Drink section for AnnArbor.com. You can reach her at JessicaWebster@AnnArbor.com.