05. The Cheese Corner - Valentine's Day Edition

Two stunning and surprisingly simple cheese appetizers to share with anyone you love

Valentine’s Day is here, and whether you adore celebrating love or loathe this made-up holiday, I like to believe that almost everyone has a little love in their heart for cheese. Here are two brand new recipes featuring a couple of my favorite cheeses. They’re perfect for sharing with your loved ones and would also make pretty wonderful self-care/solo night-in snacks, if that’s more your speed. Want to watch me make them? Be sure to give me a follow on Instagram, @ajoyinthekitchen. I have Reels of both recipes saved on my profile!

About the Cheeses

Kefalotyri - A Greek/Cypriot sheep’s milk cheese that often also includes goat’s milk, depending on the producer. I find it at my local Greek market, but you can order it online if you don’t have a specialty store near you. It’s salty, nutty, sharp, and a bit squeaky on the palate. An alternative is Manchego, which is widely available these days. Even Target carries it now!

Kefalotyri with Warm Buttered Almonds, Thyme & Honey

This meze-style appetizer has a beautiful balance of flavors. Sweet, salty, nutty, and buttery, with floral notes from the honey and thyme. Serve with toothpicks and watch it disappear.

Makes: about 2 cups
Active time: 15 minutes

3/4 pound (12 ounces) Kefalotyri cheese, cut into cubes (about 2 cups)
1 teaspoon extra virgin olive oil
1/2 tablespoon salted butter
1/4 cup slivered almonds
1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves, plus a few sprigs for garnish
2 tablespoons honey
Kosher salt and fresh-ground black pepper, to taste

In a serving bowl, add cheese cubes. In a small skillet over medium heat, add olive oil and butter and heat until melted. Add almonds and stir to coat. Cook, stirring often, until almonds and butter are golden and toasted, about 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and add the thyme, stirring to combine. Pour the warm almond mixture over the cheese cubes. Drizzle with honey, season with salt and pepper, and garnish with more thyme, if desired.

For a larger spread, put out dishes of olives, dates, hard salami, hummus or white bean dip, and naan or pita bread, along with the cheese.

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Blue Ledge Farm Camembrie - Made with fresh Ayrshire cow's milk and produced in Salisbury, Vermont, Camembrie is a smooth, bouncy hybrid of, you guessed it…Brie and Camembert! It has a creamy texture and notes of button mushrooms, with more complexity than a regular Brie. It’s just as beautiful on a cheese board as it is baked, like in the recipe below.

Raspberry Mostarda Baked Brie

The raspberry topping in this recipe is inspired by one of my favorite cheese accompaniments, Blake Hill’s Raspberry Mostarda. That being said, I usually have a hard time finding it, so I decided to try and make a shortcut version by mixing together a few pantry staples. While everyone knows and loves raspberry jam paired with brie, mostarda is unfortunately lesser-known. Essentially a fruit preserve with mustard and spices added, it has a welcome savoriness in comparison to traditional jams, which in turn provides more depth of flavor. While this recipe would obviously make for a beautiful appetizer, you can also make it a meal by serving alongside a loaf of crusty bread and a green salad vinaigrette.