it began as just one of those

uncontrived, sublime autumn days

the enduring and unexpected warmth

created an opportunity for

spontaneity

 with a few good friends…

 so, a ramble through the market

 to procure fresh pears and plums

buttery, nutty cheeses

and a jar of Blueberry Orchard Blossom Honey

for blue cheese dipping

Fiery Cheddar Bikkies

Fiery Cheddar Biscuits

 

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Ingredients

• 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 tsp sea salt
• 1/2 lb (2 sticks) unsalted butter
• 1/2 lb aged cheddar cheese, grated
• 2 jalapeno peppers (red, green or yellow)

Instructions

1. Bring butter to room temperature. Wash, slice jalapenos down the middle then remove and discard seeds. Dice jalapenos fairly finely. Choosing red and green jalapenos can make the shortbread look festive for Christmas. I selected green and yellow to look like fall.
2. Sift flour and salt together.
3. In a large mixing bowl, blend and cream together the butter and cheese.
4. Gradually add the flour mixture and mix until just blended, do not overbeat.
5. Add the diced jalapenos and blend in.
6. Take handfuls of dough out and shape into a 1-inch log by gently pressing and squeezing the dough. Lay on a sheet of plastic and wrap tight, you can finish shaping the log when it is wrapped in plastic. The dough can be quite crumbly and it can take a little effort to shape the logs. Warmth from your hands helps. Repeat with the rest of the dough.
7. Chill wrapped dough logs in fridge for about 1 hour.
8. Preheat oven to 350 F oven. Using a sharp knife, gently slice each log into slices, about 1/4" thick. Lay sliced “coins” on baking sheets about 2 inches apart. (Just like cookies.) Bake until lightly browned, about 12-15 minutes. Longer baking makes a crispier biscuit.
9. Remove and lay on wire racks til cool.
10. Place in a pretty dish behind the cheese tray closest to you. Furtively snack and make sure no one else knows how good they are

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  toasting in the oven…

couldn’t forget

the olives or the crucial baguette

for Aged Cheddar Apple Toasts

Aged Apple Cheddar Toasts

 

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Author: Barbara Bamber

Ingredients

• 1 baguette
• 2 apples
• 1 block aged cheddar cheese
• chives
• Thai Sweet Chili Sauce

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350F.
2. Slice baguette diagonally to make as many toasts as you wish.
3. Lay on parchment covered baking sheet.
4. Core, then slice apple in 1/8” slices. Arrange on top of toasts
5. Slice cheddar cheese thinly and place on top of apple.
6. Bake for approximately 10 minutes or until cheese is melted and bubbly.
7. Remove from oven and sprinkle with chives.
8. Drizzle with Thai Sweet Chili Sauce.
9. Serve warm straight out of the oven.

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 next, a few crisp leaves of butter lettuce

ready to receive some

Wild Smoked Sockeye Salmon

Wild Smoked Sockeye Salmon

 

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Ingredients

• 1 tray wild smoked sockeye salmon (freezer section)
• 1 container dill cream cheese dip
• 1 small jar capers
• 1 head butter lettuce

Instructions

1. Wash and separate butter letuce leaves then arrange around a platter.
2. Stir and cream the dill cream cheese until spreadable. Put into a small container in the center of the lettuce.
3. Separate the salmon and arrange on lettuce leaves.
4. Sprinkle capers over.
5. To serve, pick up lettuce leave, smear a little cream cheese, roll slightly and eat.

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{ I didn’t have time to take a photo WITH the salmon! }

finally gathering with hugs

 casual sampling of food

 and some delicious wine

a great new album released just days ago

 “Skyscraper Soul”

 seduced us all

 to succumb…

 to the Soft and Cushy Ginger Cookies

Soft and Cushy Ginger Cookies

 

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Cook time

8 mins

Total time

8 mins

 

Ingredients

• 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 tsp ground ginger
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 3/4 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp ground cloves
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 3/4 cup butter, softened
• 1 cup white sugar
• 1 egg
• 1 tbsp water
• 1/4 molasses
• 2 tbsp white sugar

Instructions

1. Preheat 350 F.
2. In a medium sized bowl, sift together the first set of ingredients, from the flour through to the salt.
3. In a large mixing bowl, cream butter and sugar together until light and fluffy. Add egg and beat in. Mix in water and molasses until blended.
4. Slowly mix in the dry ingredients until fully blended.
5. Shape dough into 1” balls. Roll in the remaining 2 tbsp sugar and place on an ungreased or silpat lined baking sheet, about 2 inches apart.
6. Bake for 8-10 minutes in the preheated oven. Allow them to cool and set on the cookie sheet for a few minutes before moving to cookie rack to finish cooling.

Notes

Store in an airtight container or ziploc bag. May be frozen.

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with the laughter

 and stories told

 in the fragrant night air

around us…

well, it was a

perfectly imperfect

unforgettable

night

*thanks to denise, kris, amy1028, best of bridge, and karen miller for their recipes gently altered for this blog… homage to Blush Lane for their cheese