Pier Luc Dallaire has worked for us for five years (and counting) as a cook, busboy, bartender, oyster shucker, and now a real French waiter! His dad, Bertrand, was a kindred soul gardener, and his mom, Huguette, made these killer doughnuts.  They rise with baking powder, not yeast. The Isle-aux-Grues cheese is a great Quebec product that we couldn’t resist smoking. Together they sing.

Ingredients
Doughnuts

• 2-¾ cups (350 g) all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting
• 1 tablespoon baking powder
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ¼ teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
• ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
• ¼ cup (55 g) unsalted butter, at room temperature
• ½ cup (100 g) sugar
• 2 eggs
• ¼ cup (60 ml) whipping cream (35 percent butterfat)
• ¼ cup (60 ml) milk
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• Canola oil for deep-frying
• 1 cup (300 g) maple syrup
• 8 thin slices Smoked Cheddar (recipe follows)

Directions
1 In a bowl, stir together the flour, baking powder, salt, nutmeg, and cinnamon. Set aside.

2 In a second bowl, cream the butter with the sugar until smooth. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating after each addition until combined. Slowly add the cream and milk, mixing until combined, and then mix in the vanilla. Lastly, add the flour mixture and stir until a stiff dough forms.

3 On a floured countertop, roll out the dough about ½ inch (12 mm) thick. With a doughnut cutter, cut out the doughnuts. We prefer a smaller doughnut, but it is up to you.

4 Pour the oil to a depth of 3 inches (7.5 cm) into your deep fryer (or according to the manufacturer’s instructions) and heat to 350°F (180°C). (Or, use a thick-bottomed, high-sided pot and a deep-fat thermometer.) Working in batches, add the doughnuts and fry for 3 to 4 minutes, or until they are a nice light brown. Drain on paper towels.

5 In a small saucepan, bring the maple syrup to a boil over high heat, then lower the heat and simmer for 5 minutes. With your trusty tongs, dip and coat the doughnuts with the syrup. Serve 4 to 6 doughnuts per person with a couple of slices of the Smoked Cheddar each.

Ingredients
Smoked Cheddar

• 2-pound (900-g) block Cheddar cheese
• 1 tablespoon Canadian whisky
• 2 tablespoons maple syrup

Directions
1 Combine the cheese, whisky, and syrup in a large freezer bag. Seal the bag and place it in the freezer for 4 hours.

2 Start your smoker and heat it to 85° to 105°F (30° to 40°C); you want to keep the smoke “cold,” that is, at a slow smolder, using mostly wood chips.

3 Insert a remote thermometer into the cheese and place it in the smoker. Smoke the cheese until it reaches an internal temperature of 39°F (4°C). The smoked cheese will keep in the fridge for up to 1 month, wrapped tightly in plastic.

Makes 20 to 24 doughnuts, depending on size.

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Excerpted from The Art of Living According to Joe Beef by David McMillan, Frédéric Morin, and Meredith Erickson; Foreword by David Chang Copyright © 2011 by David McMillan, Frédéric Morin, and Meredith Erickson; Foreword by David Chang. Excerpted by permission of Ten Speed Press, a division of Random House of Canada Limited. All rights reserved. No part of this excerpt may be reproduced or reprinted without permission in writing from the publisher.