I had big plans for today’s post, as big as a three course meal ending in a dazzling dessert with berries like the mascarpone roulade. By the time I finished with the appetizer, this strawberry goat cheese tartine, I had no more energy for another round of cooking and photographing. It takes time you guys, and planning and je ne sai quoi, don’t you agree? I need to feel it before it can translate into something blog worthy.
It’s make-up week at the FFWD headquarters, and I’m taking advantage of it. Not in a grand style, like the full meal I had in mind, but with a fast, easy and super tasty appetizer that is not only different but packs a lot of flavor too. All good adjectives when it comes to food.
There’s not much to this appetizer, except to say that the first goat cheese I used was of the pungent kind, with a bitter aftertaste. I do like it a lot, especially in a quiche I make with caramelized onions, but for this tartine, it was too much. So round number two included a milder cheese and less of it. I couldn’t find chevre, which is the ultimate soft goat cheese in my opinion, so I used chevrotin. I think feta would’ve been good too. Or even homemade ricotta.
What about the balsamic vinegar? It adds a good touch, and though it´s not mandatory as Dorie points out, I suggest you not miss it. The reduction of balsamic vinegar to syrup is a revelation, the sweet acrid waft as it cooks stayed in my nose for hours, similar to the way my kitchen smell when I make chutney. I don’t know how I come back after adding balsamic syrup to the strawberry goat cheese tartine and to a salad. Maybe I don’t. It’s just so darn amazing.
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This is more an ingredient list than a recipe.
Ingredients
- Baguette slices (toasted or fresh)
- Fresh strawberries (hulled and sliced)
- Soft goat cheese
- Balsamic vinegar syrup
Instructions
- Put the amount of balsamic vinegar you want, I used about 1 cup, in a small saucepan and let reduce over low heat. When it’s syrupy remove and keep in a glass jar. I transferred it back to it’s original bottle.
- Put some goat cheese on each baguette slice, add some fresh strawberry slices on top and drizzle with balsamic syrup.
- Eat immediately
Marissa | Pinch and Swirl says
August 19, 2013 at 15:43You're adorable Paula. I love your equation above:
Tartine (french) = bruschetta (italian) = tostas (spanish) = stuff on toast (for me!) jaja!
Your stuff on toast looks so good. I think it would be great with a grind of black pepper too.
laurasmess says
August 19, 2013 at 14:55I am in love with strawberries and syrupy aged balsamic. Such a beautiful winning combination… I've even eaten them over good vanilla ice cream with a touch of black pepper! This tartine sounds gorgeous Paula. Beautiful photos, beautiful flavours. Lovely xx
Karen @ Lemon Grove Cake Diaries says
August 19, 2013 at 07:57I love "stuff on toast" and this is no exception. Great flavour combination!
e / dig in says
August 18, 2013 at 23:17what an amazingly simple but delicious looking treat. i'm not a fan of goat's cheese so ricotta would be my choice. and of course, good strawberries would be key.
isn't it sad when we eat a strawberry and get surprised at how good it it. it's liek we are used to flavourless ones.
Cher Rockwell says
August 18, 2013 at 13:46I have been mixing goat cheese with honey lately – and really have been enjoying that.
And yes, I have no idea where time keeps flying off to. I am certainly not catching up…
Laura Dembowski says
August 18, 2013 at 12:40Oh yes, I definitely wonder where both summer and life have gone. But making these for dinner will save time so I can do other things 🙂 Balsamic is a great addition.
Mary Hirsch says
August 18, 2013 at 01:38I'm with you on the "Where does time go?" question. We're all multi-tasking like crazy and there are not enough hours in the day. In some ways, that's a good thing. Life is full and busy. I made this tartine when I was unpacking all my moving boxes a few months ago. I nibbled on them all day and loved the taste. I didn't reduce the balsamic like you did – in fact, I was a little heavy handed with it as it was. So, I will go back to this again. I like the strawberries/goat cheese with honey combo. That's about as adventerous as I get. Look forward to catching up with you via your Posts and e-mails.
Abbe@This is How I Cook says
August 17, 2013 at 20:04I est this for breakfast only with my strawberry balsamic jam. Totally love it and it is a great way to start the morning. Beautiful pictures, Paula!
acookingmizer says
August 17, 2013 at 18:00I loved this one! 🙂 I'm glad you are finding some cheese you like better – I've noticed with the peach tartine that I'm posting on later today that seasoning the goat cheese with herbs, salt and pepper make it an entirely different cheese all together – maybe worth trying? I'll leave you the post on the FFWD FB page!
wp_vknotes_admin says
August 17, 2013 at 18:08It never occurred to me to season it, you´re so right!
Ei says
August 17, 2013 at 17:59I love make-up weeks b/c it reminds me of things that I really liked and never think to make. Beautiful pics!
Adriana says
August 17, 2013 at 14:50I still have to make up for this one… roasted strawberries do sound too good to pass up. Since we get all non-tropical fruits flown in, I am also wary of the too perfect looking berries. 🙂
Cocoa and Lavender says
August 17, 2013 at 14:07And – I am sad to tell you – life really speeds up as you get older! But, at least as we are all speeding by, we will have great food to eat! I have to do some research on tartines… is this really an old French tradition? I just started hearing about them recently in the blog world. While I never think of sweet things like this as an hors d'oeuvre, I might need to try it – especially with the balsamic syrup! ~ David
wp_vknotes_admin says
August 17, 2013 at 14:41Tartine (french) = bruschetta (italian) = tostas (spanish) = stuff on toast (for me!) jaja!