SAY CHEESE!
I'm thrilled to say that CLOBBERED BY CAMEMBERT is doing great in sales...
Thanks to all of you!
I have received the most delightful letters from fans this week. I'm grinning ear to ear.
By the way, for fans...
I'm running a contest on my website right now, through March 1st, (that's tomorrow) for all who are signed up to receive my newsletter. [It doesn't come out often, but when it does there are tips on cheese, recipes, and upcoming events...and sometimes a short story.] Two on the list will win a beautiful cheese paddle from Sur la Table. Don't miss out.
So...with a new book coming out, I've been so busy that I can barely breathe, with deadlines and travel for book signings, and, well, life in general. When I'm this busy, I crave comfort food, and one of the best comfort foods is a grilled cheese.
In the Cheese Shop mysteries, Charlotte's good friend, Delilah (who owns and operates the Country Kitchen) has been on the hunt for the best grilled cheese ever. Needless to say, I have to help her out, don't I? I mean, I have to experiment. I add pears, jams, onions, all sorts of things. I give it my all a couple of times a month. [Being gluten-free, I use gluten-free bread, but truly it's all about the cheese.]
Until now, I had never made a grilled cheese with Camembert, but it's a cow's milk cheese that has the great ability to melt like a dream, so why not, I thought, bloomy rind and all.
I added some spices, swathed the bread with cream cheese (to give it that extra creamy texture), and served it with mustard. Oh, yum!
I am now...comfortable and ready to write...and probably in need of a couple extra minutes on the treadmill. As Charlotte's energy-packed grandmother would say, "C'est la vie!"
GRILLED CHEESE WITH CAMEMBERT
Ingredients:
(1 serving)
2
slices bread
1-2 tablespoons butter
2-3
oz. Camembert cheese, sliced
2
tablespoons cream cheese
½
teaspoon mixed herbs (thyme, basil, rosemary)
1
tablespoon spicy mustard (served on the side)
Directions:
Butter
two slices of bread on one side only. Spread cream cheese on the other side of
bread.
Heat
up flat grilling pan. Place one slice of bread, butter side down, on hot grilling
surface. Layer with Camembert cheese. Top
with herbs. Top with the other piece of bread (butter side up).
Grill
the sandwich on low to medium for 4-5 minutes. Flip the sandwich and grill for
another 4-5 minutes, until a nice golden brown and cheese oozing.
Remove
from heat and serve immediately.
[This
can be made on gluten-free bread. It is still amazing.]
Enjoy!!P.S.
Recently I wrote a blog for Fresh Fiction that I titled "The Joy of Cheese Cooking." I had fabulous comments from all who read it. If you get the chance, pop over and take a peek.
P.S.S.
"Palace by the Lake."
If you'd like to read the story, click this LINK.
* * *
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learn more about me, Avery, by clicking this link.
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so you can learn about upcoming events, releases, and contests!
I love a great grilled cheese sandwich. I make them in my George Foreman grill, I tell myself it makes it a little healthier as I don't add butter-but I use lots of cheese!
ReplyDeleteKat, I've never used the GF grill, but I've heard it's great! Not so much butter is definitely better health choice. :)
DeleteAvery
I enjoy a good grilled cheese sandwich and eat them at least once a month. I have never tried Camembert cheese and think I should try it.
ReplyDeleteI have been making mozzarella and tomato grilled cheeses lately.
I have made Corrozza Sandwiches which is an Italian Fried Grilled Cheese.. YUM.. This is something my grandmother used to make me when I was a kid. It is mozzarella, basil on bread then dipped in flour and egg and fried. You can serve it with a side of sauce or have it like my daughter did when she was young and eat it with maple syrup. Yes the syrup sounds wried but it is pretty good.
Shawn, this almost sounds like a version of a Croque Monsieur or Monte Cristo sandwich, which as a girl I adored!!! I wonder if I could do something like that gluten-free. Sounds like a fun challenge. OK, I'm doing it. Soon!
Delete~Avery
I like Camembert, but I can't say I've ever seen it in a grilled cheese sandwich. I think mustard is a very nice touch. It must give it a little zest!
ReplyDelete~ Krista
Thanks, Krista. I adore mustard. And yep, that little zest was delish!
Delete~Avery
Now if I can just find the Camembert lurking in my fridge...
ReplyDeleteI think the most important component of any grilled cheese sandwich is patience. You can't cook it too fast or you'll end up with burnt bread and cold cheese.
Maggie-beth, I look forward to seeing you at the festival. Thanks for your compliment on the grilled cheese AND the short story. Glad you enjoyed!
ReplyDelete~Avery
Oh, Sheila, I'm not sure I'd want the Camembert that has been lurking... LOL
ReplyDeleteI agree re: the patience. You have to cook a grilled cheese slowly. Sometimes I'll turn the heat down low, low, low, and cover the pan (with foil or something) so that it will help melt the cheese. Depends on how stubborn that cheese is...which might be lurking with your Camembert.
~Avery
Avery!!!! - Love the story!! Congrats on the well-deserved Agatha nom, the great sales for CLOBBERED, but really, girl, no fair! That picture with the deliciously melty, oozing cheese is making me salivate, and I already ate lunch. Must. Buy. Camembert. And I'm definitely eating it with slices of pear on the side, as you photo suggests, great flavor combo idea (your wonderful Cheese Shop mysteries are filled with so many of them). Cheers again and have a delicious week! ~ Cleo
ReplyDeleteThanks, Cleo. Yes, that's something about grilled cheese, isn't it? The oozy cheese. It looks so good all the time!!!
Delete~Avery
OMG I SO meant to say this earlier but it waas early when I posted.
ReplyDeleteCongratulations on the nomination!
Aw, thanks, Shawn. I'm very excited. Did you notice that there are THREE of us on the blog who were nominated? Krista, Lucy and me. We have links to the stories so you can read them. Enjoy!
Delete~Avery
Congrats on all the well deserved praise and sales! :) This looks delicious! I think I might try it on a croissant, unless that's overkill. ;)
ReplyDeleteEF, if I could have a croissant, I would do it, too! Sounds fabulous!!!!!! One of the few things I really miss on a gluten-free diet. Enjoy.
Delete~Avery
Congratulations!
ReplyDeleteThis recipe looks wonderful, thanks!
Melissa, thanks for chiming in!
Delete~Avery
Avery,
ReplyDeleteCongratulations on the Agatha nomination, I can't think of a more deserving author! That recipe for grilled cheese looks so good I cannot wait to try it out. Since you mentioned gluten-free, do you use Ezekiel bread? Do you have any other recommendations for good gluten-free bread?
I loved the short story and am thoroughly enjoying Clobbered By Camembert. I am beyond thrilled for you that sales are going well. I hope this means there will be a number 4 to the series?
Thanks for always appreciating your readers and for running the contest with the Sur La Table cheeseboard. It is so nice of you to give us a chance to win these fun prizes.
Hope you are well and that sales continue to be brisk. I would love it if you could get to NY for an event so I could meet you in person. Be safe while you travel for the book and enjoy!
Maureen
Hi, Maureen, thank you for the lovely response. I'm thrilled you enjoyed the short story and are enjoying Clobbered. I have so much fun writing this series. The next, coming out next February (I'm now on a yearly pub schedule) is To Brie or not To Brie. #4 And I'm turning in #5 tomorrow. Yipes!
DeleteI'm glad you like the contests. It's nice to appreciate fans.
Re: Ezekiel bread. My understanding is that i cannot have it because it is still the grain. I like a bread mix from Pamela's GF mixes as well as Bob's Red Mill GF mixes. And I really like a frozen baked Whole Foods bread (available on line if you don't have a WF near you - it's not cheap but nothing GF is). Not all GF breads are good (sadly, many are too dry). I like Glutino pizza crust, btw. Drizzled with olive oil and dusted with Parmesan. Yum!
Also, check out Bisquick GF. It's good for basics like biscuits etc.
I hope to come to NY soon for a signing, but there are few bookstores that like to have paperback authors sign there. They really prefer the hardback authors. Sigh. Working on it My son & bride lives in NY.
Avery