St. Andre

I picked up something different during my last Trader Joe's run. I decided to splurge a bit and opted out of my usual low-fat feta purchase and moved in toward an aged double-cream. It was a brilliant decision!


The flavor was full and nutty and the texture was creamy yet firm. The St. Andre is a welcome addition to any cheese plate and goes well with mild-flavored crackers or toasts.

Gorgonzola and Pear Quiche

My relationship with dairy is such that should I ever become lactose intolerant I would seriously question the point of living, seriously.

Just as the weather had spurred me to make custardy tapioca, the weather had also been my inspiration behind my gorgonzola purchase. Somehow the pungent cheese makes me think of being warm inside on a cold winter day which is quite odd considering I grew up in Los Angeles where it rarely gets below 65, but then, I guess its all relative.

Well on my way to a paved road to hell, I had bought some pears in an attempt to be healthier. Lucky for me they werent already moldy, but they had gotten too soft for me to enjoy eating raw. I figured that I had always heard good things about blue cheese and pear combinations and decided to have a go at it myself.




Gorgonzola and Pear Quiche

2 medium pears
1 shallot
hunk of gorgonzola
3 eggs
1/4 cup cream
frozen pie crust
salt
pepper
9 inch pie tin




Preheat the oven to 350.
Defrost the pie crust and roll into the pie tin (you could frou it up by making it from scratch if you really wanted).
Peel and halve the pears, removing the core.
Slice the pears almost all the way through. Arrange the pears neatly in the pie crust.
Chop or crumble the gorgonzola into the spaces around the pears.
Sprinkle the diced shallot over the pie and season with salt and pepper.
Whisk together eggs and cream. Pour the eggs into the pie.
Bake for 25 minutes or until the eggs solidify.
Allow the pie to cool. Serve and swoon!
(I think the eggs are so yellow because I bought them at the farmers market this last week instead of the grocery store - very yellow yolks)


This is not only the prettiest food item I have ever made, but it may also be the best tasting flavor combination that I have made in a while. I happen to like all the food I cook myself, but there was something special about this. Maybe it was the fact that I dont often splurge on fancy cheese. Maybe everything was just going right on that particular morning, who knows, but it was such a regal taste. I had leftovers for breakfast several mornings, and though it wasnt as pretty as the first day (the pears continued to get brown), it still tasted very good.

My aunts and my mom and I are getting together the Saturday after Thanksgiving for an all day event of christmas cookie and candy baking. I have heard that we will be doing breakfast together; maybe I should suggest this?!

Favorite Ingredient?

I absolutely love Trader Joe's Chevre Lite. It doesn't taste like its got only 65% of the fat. Its just as great with freshly sliced apples as it is baked in the center of my Goat Cheese and Caramelized Onion Pastry Puffs. Plus, its only a smidge over $3 for 4 oz!

What's your favorite ingredient?

Goat Cheese and Caramelized Onion Pastry Puffs
1 large onion
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
1/4 cup white wine or water
1/2 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme leaves
1 puff pastry cups (thawed following package directions)
4 ounces soft mild goat cheese at room temperature
1/4 cup heavy cream

Preheat oven to 450°F. and butter your baking sheet.
Cook the puff pastry cups according to the box directions.
Cut onion into very thin slices and begin to saute them until golden.
Deglaze the skillet with white wine (or water if thats what you have on hand) and stir in the thyme.
Continue cooking until the onions are deep golden color.
Combine the goat cheese and cream to get a more spreadable or scoopable consistency.
Once the pastry is out of the oven remove the little center circles.
Spread goat cheese in middle of pastry pieces and top with the caramelized onion.

These are best served warm!