At The Gourmet Shop, we are all about the apps! Cheese and charcuterie boards are our usual go-to, but every now and then we like to switch things up. Fewer parties and more intimate gatherings this holiday season mean you can spend the extra dough on bougie and gourmet foods for you and your family & friends. Here are a few of our favorite holiday gathering appetizers that even the pickiest of gourmands would get excited for.
“Bougie with Rougie”
Foie Gras is a staple gourmet holiday treat. We love the Rougie brand and carry several varieties of easy to prep foie gras. Our favorite combination is the Rougie Foie Gras Mousse Royale with d’arbo Sour Cherry Jam. The Sour Cheery Jam is tart but with a slight sweetness, which will enhance the richness of the foie gras. Simply slice and place your Rougie on top of Petit Toasts or a crusty French baguette slice. Place a small amount of the sour cherry jam on top. Top with a sprinkle of fresh thyme and a light dusting of freshly cracked black pepper. Prepare to amaze your guests.
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Pair Foie Gras with a dry, spicy, and exotic Gewurztraminer. This variety grown in Alsace gently soothes the fatty mouthfeel of the foie and the spiciness pairs well with the tart sour cherry.
Trimbach Gewurztraminer 2012 — 90 pts Wine Spectator $29.99
“Caviar Dreams”
Whether you are a caviar connoisseur or a novice, The Gourmet Shop can help you achieve your caviar dreams. Simplicity is key with caviar appetizers. Simply served on warmed blinis on top of a dollop of Crème Fraiche and topped with fresh dill, we want your caviar to shine. Paddlefish, called the first-timers caviar for its bold and earthy flavors, can always be upgraded to a higher-end roe if you prefer. We offer a large variety of caviar at every level as well as frozen blinis to be warmed upon serving, caviar servers, and smoked salmon if you wish to make a Russian Blini.
Click here for a printable recipe card!
Serve with brut or vodka and share your caviar dreams with friends and family alike.
Taittinger Brut La Francaise NV – 90 pts Wine Spectator — $39.99
“Spice Up Your Brie”
Pairing brie with jams and preserves is not new… but this recipe will take the flavor up a notch with the famous jelly with a spicy kick. In the south, we love our pepper jelly. The Gourmet Shop offers over 15 different types of pepper jelly due to its deliciousness and popularity. This recipe is so simple and customizable it’s perfect and unexpected for your holiday gatherings. Serve the brie and pepper jelly cold with crackers on the side, wrapped in puff pastry and baked, or baked naked in our Twine brie baker. The spicy kick and subtle sweetness of the Lowcountry Produce Pepper Jelly is the perfect pairing to our creamy brie cheeses.
Click here for a printable recipe card!
Sauvignon Blanc tends to pair well with spicier foods and the classic Sancerre brings about fresh citrus notes and a clean brightness that will take your brie and pepper jelly appetizer to the next level.
Domaine Vacheron Sancerre 2019 — $42.99
“Bruschetta Makes it Betta”
With hundreds of varieties of sauces, spreads, and toppings, The Gourmet Shop makes it easier than ever to create unique, fun, and exotic bruschetta to serve at your gatherings. Just remember, the most important part of bruschetta is the bread! Make sure you buy quality French baguette, extra virgin olive oil, and garlic. Here are just a few of our favorite combinations, but feel free to get creative and come up with your own bruschetta masterpieces!
Truffled Ricotta, Lemon, Basil, and Balsamic – With the help of Urbani Truffles and their Cream & Truffle sauce, this recipe is as easy as it is delicious. Simply whip together the sauce, fresh ricotta, lemon zest, and fresh basil chiffonade. Place atop your crusty bread and drizzle with a balsamic glaze.
Burrata and Tomato Herb – So simple yet delicious. We use Stonewall Kitchen’s Tomato Herb Bruschetta Spread (which honestly is great to just keep in your pantry at all times), top it with the luscious burrata, and garnish with oven roasted grape tomatoes, garlic, and shallots.
Chevre, Prosciutto, Arugula, and Fig Preserves – We don’t know if it’s the creamy sweetness of the prosciutto, the tanginess of the chevre, or the sweet mellow flavor of the fig preserves, but this combo always has us coming back for more. The fresh arugula gives this bruschetta the perfect bite to meld all the beautiful flavors together.
We hope to bring a touch of gourmet to your holiday gatherings this year and for many years to come. Whether you stop by our café and indulge in our famous warmed brie appetizer, take a custom cheese & charcuterie board home, or use our provisions to create your own masterpieces, we appreciate every one of you and truly hope your holidays are filled with joy, good food, better wine, and the best company. From all of us at The Gourmet Shop, Happy Holidays!
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