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(Many thanks to Joan of Arc® for sponsoring today’s story and encouraging me to use goat cheese in fresh, new ways!) Are you gaga for goat cheese like I am? When you think of goat cheese, does your mind go crazy with all the endless possibilities? Do you imagine it on your pizza, in your sandwiches, on your pasta, in your appetizers, on salad, in your desserts or even by the spoonful? That my friend, is a chronic case of goat cheesiness mania and I’m afraid to inform you there is no cure but to embrace it completely! And today we are embracing goat cheese madness with these mouthwatering, vegetarian-friendly crostini that are creamy, crunchy, salty, sweet, tangy, and even a little bit funky if you use the truffled honey. Oh my God, you guys, this is definitely the quintessential bite! (Oh yes, I just used the nerdy word “quintessential”, so things are getting seeeeriooous!)
Summer is finally here and with that comes those amazing summer parties that we all cherish and love. And how does a good summer party start? With a killer appetizer!
Before I knew exactly what kind of appetizer I wanted to do with the few varieties of Joan of Arc goat cheese I picked up at the grocery store, I called the one person I know can throw the BEST soirees ever: my aunt Renata. Her parties are seriously the best parties I’ve ever been to. The food is out of this world, the wine is invariably flowing freely (think Romanee Conti), the music is perfectly selected and everybody is always laughing and having a good time! Even the weather tends to cooperate. (Except for that one New Year’s Party where the rain decided to pour heavenly on the karaoke stage she had built on the garden… Well, that didn’t stop us and we still got on that stage to sing and dance our wet asses off!) So it’s no surprise she’s the one I turn to when I need a recipe to impress my guests. This time, with goat cheese in mind, she gave me this delicious recipe, that she called Spanish Tapas. Despite the Spanish inspired flavors, I decided to rename the recipe to Goat Cheese, Caramelized Onions and Truffled Honey Crostini. Yes, the flavors might be Spanish, but they are on a piece of crusty bread, and for me that’s a crostini (or bruschetta).
Crostini, in italian, means “little toasts” (with Crostino being the singular). It is an appetizer consisting of small slices of toasted or grilled bread (usually baguette slices) and toppings. They are thought to have originated in the Medieval times, when it was typical for Italian peasants to eat their meals on slices of bread instead of using expensive ceramics that they couldn’t afford. The secret to a good crostini is high quality bread. A good white bread baguette from your local bakery will do! Slice it thinly enough to bite but not too thin that it won’t be sturdy enough for the toppings!
As for the truffled honey, if it’s not your thing (it is not for many!), just substitute it for regular honey or your favorite jam. Chili Pepper jam works great in this too! Oh, and please splurge on some good quality goat cheese as it is the star of this dish! The cheese I used for this recipe is Joan of Arc fresh traditional goat cheese, however any variety of their goat cheese would work perfectly here. They have Garlic & Herb, Sun-Dried Tomato & Basil, Cranberry Cinnamon, Fig and Peppadew. The Joan of Arc brand includes a variety of French and French-style cheeses that are perfect for today’s on-the-go shopper that is looking for quick and easy ways to go gourmet. The brand features not only the delicious goat cheese we are using today, but also classic flavors like chevre, brie, camembert and Roquefort that has kept consumers coming back for more since its inception in 1918. Their website is a great resource as it not only features a nice sampling of recipes, it also includes wine and beer pairing suggestions that perfectly match the rich flavors of the line’s specialty cheeses. Similarly, the brand’s Facebook page and Pinterest page are loaded with recipes and serving suggestions. Also, Joan of Arc Facebook fans are always the first to know about the latest promotions, enter-to-win contests and new items. I paired this appetizer with some crisp and light Sauvignon Blanc, but any choice of white or red will go well with this crostini! Here’s to a summer of good wine and delicious food! When attending/hosting parties, make sure you enjoy your friends instead of only hanging out by the food table like me! :P P.S. Wanna keep in touch? Follow me on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram or Pinterest to stay up to date with my posts! If you end up making one of my recipes, I would love to see it! Just take a photo and post it on your preferred Social Media and tag me or use the hashtag #oliviascuisine!
$50 VISA GIFT CARD GIVEAWAY:
Enter the giveaway through the rafflecopter below. You might need to give it a few minutes to load! Please notice that only U.S. legal residents are eligible!
Entries will open on Saturday, May 23rd, 2015 at 12:00 am EST and close on Wednesday, June 10th, 2015 at 10:00 pm EST. Odds of winning are determined by the number of valid entries received. The winner(s) will be selected randomly via Rafflecopter and will be contacted shortly after. The winner will be notified via email. If a potential winner of any prize cannot be contacted, fails to reply to the notification email within the required time period (48 hours), or prize is returned as undeliverable, potential winner forfeits prize and a new winner will be randomly selected. This giveaway is open only to legal residents of the United States who are at least eighteen {18} years old at the time of entry, unless otherwise noted in the footer of each individual promotion. Entries are accepted via Rafflecopter.com {not by facebook, blog post comment or email}. During the promotion period, follow the instructions in the required entry section in each promotion. You automatically will receive one {1} sweepstakes entry by completing each optional or required entry. Use of a private social media accounts {Facebook or Twitter} to promote this giveaway is at the entrant’s sole discretion and not required to enter. Note, promotion of a giveaway via social media accounts such as Facebook and/or Twitter are commonly used as a marketing tool, and also to provide entrant with an extra chance to win. Olivia’s Cuisine is responsible for prize shipment. This giveaway is not administered, sponsored, endorsed by, or associated with Joan of Arc, Facebook, Twitter, Google, Pinterest or other social media outlet. Disclaimer is posted in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission 10 CFR, Part 255 Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.
