I’m so happy to see you!
xoxoxo
I thought we wouldn’t make a big dinner tonight
since it’s just the two of us…
♥
Maybe we’ll just snack
come… stand here next to me
while I unpack these paper bags.
Let’s spread everything out on the counter,
and see what we’ve got to work with.
♥
I’ve tried to find the freshest
“comestibles”
(there’s a big word for ya’!)
and all we need are
appetites and imaginations!
♥
Let’s start with these sweet wee on the vine tomatoes, shall we?
You turn on the oven and I’ll splash them avocado oil.
Could you sprinkle them with a little grey sea salt..
I love that stuff!
I found this new cheese at Mercato West..
it’s called Burrata Cheese!
It’s so cool.. I read that it was the “it” cheese a while back.. *sigh* I’m always late discovering “food trends”!
It’s a soft mozzarella filled in the center with soft cream and curds..
It always comes wrapped in a plastic bag.. a small ball and a larger one..
and it’s then knotted…
and sometimes packaged in a leaf or in this whey way!?
So awesome, don’t you think? There’s a
Mama Cheese and Baby Cheese!
All of have to do is cut that bigger piece in half.. and let the soft melty center ooze out…
I’ll get those tomatoes out of the oven and make things all pretty for us!
♥
Tomatoes on the side, cheese in the center.. shall we drizzle with a teensy bit more of that avocado oil?
I’ll smash up the pink peppercorns with the pestle and mortar.. I think that would be pretty, eh?
Look.. it’s almost heart-shaped!
♥
A few crostini on the side..I picked up a fresh Pear Walnut loaf from Wildegrainz Artisan Bakery in Inglewood..
Voilá!
♥
Now we’ve got a bit more toasted slices left.. let’s make a sandwich and salad all-in-one go, shall we?
I’ll loosely mash some avocado and spread it over the crostini..
Then you top it with chunks of blue cheese, maybe Bleu d’Auvergne from Janice Beaton Fine Cheese?? Yum!!
Maybe we should broil it and let it get all soft and runny?
Could you put a handful of fluffy greens and italian flat-leaf parsley on top..
and I’ll drizzle with the avocado oil..
grey sea salt and pink peppercorns again..
Hmmm.. something’s missing…
What’s that?
Well, that’s an excellent idea!!
You go ahead.. drizzling with some organic apple blossom honey..
and topping with a handful of walnuts is perfect with blue cheese.
I agree, no need for a slice of bread on top.. it would be a shame to hide all of this honey loveliness!
♥
Here, you take the first bite..
Oops.. we almost forgot the wine…
♥♥♥
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by Barbara Bamber | justasmidgen
Absolutely wonderful! I want to eat this every day please.
Honey, we need some Blue Cheese!
Never forget the wine! This is a great post, made me feel right at home.
Why thank you so much! I don’t even like tomatoes, but this looks divine!
I think burrata is still the “it” cheese. Would loved to have been there tasting all your goodies.
I would never think of doing that! Piling everything on top of a crosini looks Delish or my new word “hideous!” = awesome! Hahaha! I am going to try that this weekend. Thanks Barbara!
Great conversation and great food!
I love grey sea salt and pink peppercorns! Of course, what you sprinkled it on it AMAZING and it’s a good thing you didn’t forget the wine.
Absolutely delightful Smidge. Beautiful from beginning to end. Close call on nearly forgetting the wine though…
Mandy
This …. is me – in the summer. Thank you so much – baked my own loaf yesterday with pear and walnuts in – should try it. Stunning bread. http://wp.me/p293Pw-2u8 – Stunning photo again, brilliant … so now we are printing out – brilliant set up – that you provide printable recipes. So thankful *smile
Everything looks delicious! I have to try this avocado oil
I wish I had been there…I´d happily have spooned, and drizzled and taken things out of wrappers for you! That cheese looks amazing…we haven´t got it here
As we used to say just after we got married, ‘c’est bon, merveilleuse,incroyable!’ That was about the food, and your food!
Oh my goodness! Delicious!
Yum..funny just read about Burata in memoir Blood Bones and Butter by owner of Prune in NYC… I’m also late to trends
..and love the photography..would love to watch you shoot sometime…
So simple and elegant. Nice to show how it can be done. Will put that cheese on my list.
Wow, Smidge! Just plain wow! This was a most inviting and delightful conversation, and such a beautiful spread…Simplicity, yet with an elegance that just calls to inviting friends to sit and enjoy a summer afternoon. I’m so glad I planted more tomato vines than I really thought reasonable. I’m not familiar with the cheese, but I know right where to go to find some
Lovely! Debra
Delicious!!!
I can eat this everyday…
Really nice read…
This sure looks pretty.
I adore roasting tomatoes. Wonderful photos and crostini ideas – they look very cozy, if that makes sense, and absolutely delectable!
What a beautiful story, Smidge. And thank you for showing the Burrata, I’ve been seeing it on menus and wondered what it was. I’m definitely ordering it in NYC this weekend!
?
That menu is exactly what I would want when I’m snacking with a friend. How could you possibly forget the wine
You are amazing! This all looks absolutely divine!
So pretty, Smidge! I’ve never had avocado oil – I want! Roasted tomatoes are pretty much the best things ever
I can always count on you to tickle my love for words… “comestibles” is a new for me in English, in my native language we do have “comestiveis” – goes to show how it all falls in a nice place.
having never heard it before, I know that I created it in my mind, and almost spoke it in that funny way that foreigners play with a new language without meaning to do so.
words aside, this whole series of pictures got me drooling, and I had lunch not too long ago. but I didn’t eat anything remotely like what you showed us here
Very lovely. Your pictures are amazing. Those tomatoes are stunning.
Oh Smidge, I’d love to come and eat with you. You make it seem so easy.
This looks beautiful my friend
– I love the post layout and could actually imagine the conversation in a kitchen 
Cheers
Choc Chip Uru
I’d go shopping let alone help you unpack if this is what is on the menu
And hmmm Blue D’Auvergne, you know since I came back from France I haven’t touched any cheese other than parmesan on my pasta. Withdrawl symptoms just kicked in!!
Your place is the place to eat – love the Mama and Baby Cheese – thanks for sharing! Have a Great Day:)
Goodness, you’ve made me so hungry! Love every flavour! The burrata is a great find, isn’t it? The Italians around here cook their pasta with red sauce, then simply open a burrata over the top of it, so the sauce becomes all creamy and cheesy..
xx
Whoever you’re having dinner with is one lucky person! (And I’ve never heard of that cheese, so it shows how behind I am on food trends.)
Roasted cherry tomatoes are one of my favourite things to pop in the oven when I need something quick as accompaniment. I have never heard of the cheese it sounds yummy and it looks very pretty sprinkled with the crushed pink peppercorns and nestling amongst the cherry tomatoes.
These are some of my favorite meals. It’s when creativity truly gets to shine!
Looks delicious!! I love crostini: D Pear walnut loaf sounds great.
I need to keep this one away from the Mrs – she’d love it! But I can’t do pretty things like this I’m all meat and potatoes….
Wow… sooooo beautifulllllllll…. Thank you, dear Barbara, love, nia
That’s sinfully pretty!
This looks like a wonderfully romantic meal for two! I love it. And a great summer on the patio meal.
Oh, so beautiful. I want to come for a visit! This is just the best way to eat with friends .. .preparing simple, fresh, beautiful food together and enjoying it in style. Lovely!
*swoon* I want to come to your house!
I think my invitation got lost! I could devour this divine meal
Wow, I became so hungry reading through this post! This is perfect on our (finally) hot spring days here.
Gorgeous! What a wonderful post and photos to go with it… the next time have someone at hand with the corkscrew and wine on the ready
Truly lovely
If I ask nicely, and promise to behave, may I PLEASE come to THAT party Smidge?
I would do many a task for some of that Burrata cheese, roasted tomatoes and OH MY that Crostini. Yessiree…what I would do for those. Dreaming….what a gorgeous, fabulous, mouth watering post.
Ohh my gosh, this looks divine..DI-VINE! YUM! That cheese..ohhh that cheese.
Lovely food, my favorite way to dine. Thanks for the invitations!
Beautiful, delicious, delightful, marvelous–and your cookery is, too!
xoxo
Beautiful – loving the look of those tomatoes and cheese especially… sounds absolutely amazing!
There’s nothing about your post that I didn’t like. Yum!
That is too funny! I was planning to do a post on Burrata cheese because I hadn’t seen anyone mention it before. We had it at a barbeque last weekend and it is SO good. I love the way it oozes out of the ball so easily. Your pictures are beautiful and I particularly lke the spontaneity of your cooking with a good friend.
Beautiful!! I am seeing a lot of cheese!! Marvellous!! Mama cheese and baby cheese? That’s so cute!! Oh and that bakery looks lovely! Calgary eh? I’ll remember it when I drive eastwards some day!
I’d love to be your dinner companion. This looks like a perfect light dish for the summer. Don’t forget the white wine
[...] Now before this year, I had not heard of burrata cheese, but then I saw it on Barbara Banters Just a Smidgin site and was intrigued. When I saw it on this menu I had to try it. Reader alert, OMG!!! This is [...]