A friend & cheese aficionado, Sara Heegaard, brought this creation to life — I added a few tweaks and the final product is a marriage of smoked gouda, roasted red peppers, pickles and sriracha that’s best served with salty, thick-cut potato chips. This picture was taken while eating said dip for dinner and reading last week’s NY Times special section about what America looks like now.

PARTS
— 8oz smoked gouda, grated on the large holes of a box grater
— 1/4 cup mayo (I have done many blinded mayo tastings, and Duke’s is top every time)
— 1 tbsp whole grain mustard
— 2 tsp spicy brown mustard (or Dijon)
— 1/4 cup kosher dill pickles or cornichons, finely chopped
— 1/4 cup roasted red peppers, finely chopped
— 1 tbsp Sriracha
— 1 tbsp chives, thinly sliced
— 1 tsp Worcestershire
— 1 bag of thick-cut potato chips (the kind that have enough strength to scoop) for serving

CLUES
For a cold, chunky dip: Combine all ingredients in a large bowl and mix until the cheese has softened and begins to turn slightly creamy. Taste and season with salt and pepper.

For a cold, creamy dip: Combine all ingredients in a blender or food processor. Pulse/mix on low until desired consistency is reached. Taste and season with salt and pepper.

For a warm, creamy dip: Combine all ingredients (plus a little S+P) in a small, ovenproof dish. Bake at 450°F until cheese is melted and light golden on top, 10-15 minutes.