Tag Archives: party appetizers

Cheddar Walnut Spread

december 5, 2019

One of the easiest appetizers to serve for impromptu gatherings, pre-dinner nibbles and large crowds is a good spread for crackers and crisp vegetables. This is why hummus is so very popular. If it’s not homemade, there will be various flavors to consider at your local market. This cheese and walnut spread is like hummus for those who don’t fancy hummus. The consistency is similar and the versatility is similar in that you can use this make-ahead spread with crispy things, schmear it on on sandwiches and wraps and use it to add creamy cheesiness to mashed potatoes and polenta. Continue reading →

Sesame Shrimp Toasts

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march 18, 2017

Most people grow up eating Chinese food (well, American Chinese food) in restaurants with their families or as takeout. Oh, those adorable white paper buckets! My family ate canned chow mein noodles with canned “chop suey” and that was some exotic stuff on the home front. My introduction to restaurant quality Chinese food came late in my college years, when my pals and I explored the DC suburbs in search of cheap eats.

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Pimento Cheese Stuffed Dates

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october 30, 2015

There are iconic Southern dishes that have become staples of the American culinary experience. No New South restaurant worth its salt would fail to offer Shrimp and Grits, creamy with cheese and flecked with bits of cured pork. The New York Times recently profiled local eateries vying for the best fluffy biscuits, but we know the most outstanding are made with White Lily Flour, a soft winter wheat, and full fat buttermilk. And then there is pimento cheese…. Continue reading →

Oysters in Leek Cream

december 26, 2014

Cousins Ryan and Travis Croxton of Rappahannock Oyster Company are putting Virginia oysters on the map, and on the plates of discerning diners across this great nation. The right kind of media attention has made heroes of these fellows, who were once derided for starting oyster aquaculture from seeds planted carefully in and around the Rappahannock River and Chesapeake Bay, giving particular taste characteristics of “neighborhood ” oysters.