Terra Americana

It was a rain, rain go away Friday.  Damp, dark and dreary.  But this simple little recipe brought the sunshine in.  A recipe for an elegant bite that created itself, when a bag of treats from the Farmer's Market tumbled together on Dorie's counter.  Happenstance has a way of doing that.

• 12 slices baguette, each about ⅓ inch thick, toasted or not
• 1 cup chevre (soft goat cheese) or cashew cream cheese
• 12 ripe strawberries, hulled and cut in half
• Coarsely ground or crushed black pepper
• Coarse ground sea salt
• Aged Balsamic Vinegar to drizzle

"I like this tartine with a chilled white wine, preferably one from the Loire Valley, where chenin blanc is the reigning grape and goat the roi of cheeses. But if you end up using cherries or dried fruits, you might want to pour red wine. In fact, topped with dried fruit, these tartines would make a nice addition to a cheese platter served before dessert."

Adapted from Dorie Greenspan’s Around My French Table.

More from this classic cookbook:

• Brown sugar squash and brussels sprouts en papillote
• Navarin Printanier
• Lyonnaise garlic and herb cheese
• St Germain des pres Onion Biscuits

Photo Credit: Julie T Cecchini