Everything you could ever want to transpire across your taste buds: creamy lemon ricotta whip, topped with a citrus lemon-orange confit, kalamata olives, and fresh thyme (both sweet and savory), and then baked inside a miniature phyllo dough pastry cup – the perfect bite! Buttery, crunchy, creamy, sweet, tart, and savory – these bites are…
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Sometimes you want to make something a little extra special. You might have guests visiting or want to bring something truly exquisite to a holiday get together. Or, maybe you just want to treat yourself. Either way, it’s time to create something exciting, out of the ordinary, and truly delicious! The stuffed date is often…
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I have long been a fan of Boursin cheese.I remember noshing on the treat even as a little kid! (Yes, gourmet everything runs through my veins 👑).When I recently discovered the Balsamic Fig edition of the creamy, Gournay cheese spread, my mind immediately began to calculate all the possible ways to consume this royal delight…
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Thick, tangy, creamy, and a little bit sour, Labne is an intensely strained yogurt cheese. It’s similar to Greek yogurt, but both richer and sturdier. It’s “kefir cheese.”It’s really just Mediterranean magic. Labne is often served as a Middle-Eastern style dip, with plenty of olive oil and a hefty dose of Za’atar seasoning ( a…
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It’s certainly not as pretty as I had imagined this Pesto Potato Parmesan Pastry “Petals” meal to be, but it sure is tasty. I have quite the artistic imagination. I see the beautiful, creative outcome SO clearly in my mind. I hear the songs and notes so beautifully. And then, when the hand hits the…
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Bruschetta is an antipasto from Italy consisting of grilled bread rubbed with garlic and topped with olive oil and salt. Variations may include toppings of tomato, vegetables, beans, cured meat, or cheese. Several weeks ago Brian enjoyed a work day in Denver with a beloved colleague. At lunch time, they walked a few blocks to…
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Right around Mother’s Day this year, my sister and brother-in-law decided to begin raising a “flock” of baby quail. The reasoning behind this decision is still a mystery to us all, but the rearing began.On Father’s Day, we visited the “coop.” The quail are lovely, I suppose, if you are a bird lover.And, just recently…
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Oh boy do I miss those super spectacular Harry and David pears I received at Christmas.There’s something special (very special) about those giant jewels.They taste NOTHING like any other pear variety.They are luscious, sumptuous, juicy, tart, sweet, tangy…just everything you would want in a pear (without the grainy, mealy texture).Seriously, they are magical. I researched…
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Salchichón is a Spanish summer sausage that is made by smoking, drying, cooking or some combination. Salchichón has a firm and compact texture; it also has a delicate and sweet taste that contrasts with spicy spices, giving the aroma and flavor so characteristic. THUS, it’s the perfect accompaniment to pastry filled with sharp, aged Manchego cheese and…
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Rather than a recipe, I decided to share with you a step by step photo tutorial of this savory puff pastry delight: Black Pepper Soppressata Swiss Braid. Basically, it’s all sorts of amazingness:Puff pastryBlack Pepper Boursin CheeseSoppressataSwiss CheeseEgg WashFresh Thyme And, just in case you were wondering: Soppressata is an Italian dry salami. Even if there are many variations,…
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