The holiday entertaining season inevitably means cheese boards. I spread of nice cheese and crackers, maybe a few nuts or fruit, has always been a go to for parties, but in the last few years the elaborate cheese and charcuterie board trend has really exploded. And I am all for it. I love cheese, and really there is no easier way to impress guests than by serving a beautifully … [Read more...] about Cheese Board Chowder
camembert
Calvados and Hazelnut Camembert
Fall gets busy. I know. It’s easy to forgo a nice little appetizer before a festive meal, or just throw some cheese and crackers on a plate (nothing wrong with that). But creating something special with just a little effort can really add to the experience. If you get asked (or volunteer) to bring a snack to an event, make it something truly unique. This makes a fantastically … [Read more...] about Calvados and Hazelnut Camembert
Baked Camembert with Hazelnut and Cranberry Crumble
When I was in school in England many moons ago, the chic appetizer on menus all over the country, from bistros to pubs, was fried camembert with a cranberry relish. Small wheels, or sometimes wedges, of camembert were breaded and fried and served with anything from a canned-type cranberry sauce to complicated cranberry relishes. One English grocery store even (to this day) … [Read more...] about Baked Camembert with Hazelnut and Cranberry Crumble
Camembert and Apple Soup
One of my favorite sandwich combos is creamy brie or camembert with sliced apples or pears. There a couple of places around town that serve these – toasted or pressed or cold, on brioche, ciabatta or baguette. I can’t resist ordering when I see it on the menu, but of course I also make them for myself occasionally. When I was planning out soup month on The Spoon, I was at first … [Read more...] about Camembert and Apple Soup
Baked Camembert with Pear, Cranberry and Walnut Relish
Baked brie with fruity toppings used to be all the rage, and the real height of sophisticated appetizers. But they seem to have fallen out of fashion a little. I rarely see them at parties or in cookbooks anymore. Perhaps the trend for simple artsy charcuterie trays have taken their place, or appetizers served on individual spoons. But just because a dish isn’t trendy … [Read more...] about Baked Camembert with Pear, Cranberry and Walnut Relish
