ffwd: back-of-the-card cheese & olive bread
I don’t make either very often, but I like savory breads more than sweet ones. I think it’s because the sweet ones are typically served at breakfast under the label of “bread”, but are really just cakes in loaf form. With the exception of a truly amazing sticky bun or coffee cake, I really don’t like sweets in the morning. That’s a long way of saying I was up to the task of this week’s French Fridays with Dorie recipe, Back-of-the-Card Cheese and Olive Bread.
The recipe called for tapenade, olives and Comté cheese, but cries out to be personalized. I took a peek in the refrigerator for inspiration. I decided to give my loaf a Greek twist. I substituted sun-dried tomatoes for half of the olives and used 1 cup of feta for the cheese.
I also opted to make mini loaves. Recipes for one big loaf fill my 3 smaller sized pans. I can eat one right away and share the others, or freeze for later. I served the bread alongside a bowl of soup for lunch, plus further nibbling throughout the day.
The flavors were salty and savory which I enjoyed. The texture of the bread was more like cake than a typical quick bread. Maybe that’s the French way. I’m not sure that I liked that part, especially with the savory ingredients, so I don’t think I’ll make this again.
If you’d like to try this yourself, Dorie has posted the recipe here. You can also find it in Dorie Greenspan’s book Around My French Table.
To see the winning combinations of other French Fridays with Dorie participants, follow their links here
ffwd: goat cheese & strawberry tartine
I love cheese. It’s my favorite food. I like any kind of cheese, though goat cheese is a top choice. If you remember, earlier in the year, I experimented with making my own. I did buy it for this recipe.
I love strawberries. Well, do you know anyone who doesn’t love strawberries. They cry out “Summer is here!” They aren’t quite in season locally, but soon.
I love bread, especially crusty artisan bread, but any bread. I learned about bread eating from my dad. He always said I would make a good prisoner because I am often content eating good bread and drinking water.
This week’s recipe for French Fridays with Dorie was another “whisper” of a recipe, but these three key ingredients. Goat Cheese and Strawberry Tartine says it all. An open-faced sandwich: crusty bread spread with goat cheese, topped with sliced strawberries, drizzled with balsamic vinegar and sprinkled with freshly ground black pepper.
I made the recipe twice this week. The first time, I made the tartine with big diagonal slices of a crusty baguette. I ate a plateful of tartine as a light supper. It was over 90 degrees out, so with no cooking required was perfect. With a glass of cold white wine, this fit the bill.
The second time, I topped a toasted poppy seed bagel with goat cheese and strawberries, thought I left off the pepper and vinegar because it was morning. It brought together all the necessary breakfast food groups: bread, cheese, and fruit.
This was so simple, but so good. I think I’ll enjoy this combination again when the strawberries are at their peak, especially for breakfast.
I won’t even bother to find a link for the recipe because it’s self-explanatory. If you want to read about other Doristas’ tartines, check their links here.
Here’s to strawberry season!
A Plateful of Happiness 