Cheesy Charcuterie + Merchant's Daughter Semi-Dry Hard Cider
Cheesy Munchables
Cocktail hour cannot come soon enough! So, call your Thursday-night crew, pull out some fun serving trays and mix-it-up with these charcuterie plate and cheesy bite ideas. Merchant’s Daughter Semi-Dry goes great with many different cheeses because it’s not too sweet, not to dry and pulls out the creamy flavors of cheese. And it’s an all-around crowd pleaser your friends will love. Try our pairing suggestions below and including our Cheesy Olive Bites and Cran-Apple Fizz cocktail. Start noshing and enjoy!
Please drink responsibly and don’t drink and drive.
CHARCUTERIE BOARD BITE IDEAS:
Aged Cheddar Cheese
Brie with a dollop of Fig Jam
Multi-grain crackers
Cured Salami or Prosciutto
Blue Cheese Stuffed Olives
Apples
Grapes
Roasted Pecans Drizzled with Honey
Cheesy Olive Bites (recipe below)
Cheesy Olive Bites
Serves: 12 Prep: 35 minutes
8 oz shredded aged cheddar cheese
1/2 cup unsalted butter
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup Kalamata olives, chopped
1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped
Thinly sliced Kalamata olives and parsley sprigs for garnish
In a large bowl or stand-mixer combine shredded cheddar cheese and butter until uniform and creamy. Add in minced garlic. Add in flour a little bit at a time. When combined, fold in parsley and Kalamata olives. Be careful not to overmix so that the olive color does not bleed into the batter. Shape batter into two equal logs approximately 6 inches long. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least an hour. (Note: The batter can be frozen as a log and defrosted when needed for an “emergency” party snack.)
Preheat oven to 425 degrees. After the batter has chilled, remove the wrap and cut into 24, 1/2 inch discs. Place individual bites at least 1 inch apart on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Bake in oven for 25 minutes until lightly brown. Remove and let cool for 5 minutes on a wire rack.
Top with a few sliced olives, garnish plate with parsley, and share!
Cran-Apple Fizz
Serves: 4 Prep: 10 minutes
24 oz Merchant’s Daughter semi-dry hard cider
4 oz real Cranberry juice
4 oz Club soda
2 large limes
Lime wedges and Candied ginger
In a large pitcher, combine Merchant’s Daughter Semi-Dry hard cider, cranberry juice, club soda and the juice of two limes. Pour over ice in a tumbler or mason jar rimmed with lime. Garnish with piece of candied ginger.