This Thanksgiving, when you suddenly realize that with all the decisions aboutwhich stuffing to make, and determining whether or not mashed potatoes are an imperative part of the meal (for the record, I agree withAdinaon this one), you will inevitably forget about something. Nine times out of ten, I would wager that that one thing is the appetizer.
And the appetizer, my friends, is a necessity. I mean, I'm sure you're already planning on serving enough food to feed a slew of hungry guests, but the inevitable fact remains: When they ring that doorbell, you won't be ready to serve that turkey. You'll need time to let that turkey rest and whisk up that gravy. And bake that stuffing. And toss that salad. You'll want to fend your guests off for awhile with drinks while everyone assembles.
And sure, you can just ply them with booze and wine, but your guests' growling stomachs might just cause them to mutiny and invade the kitchen looking for a snack. And no one wants that any unwanted invaders in the kitchen, distracting you when you're in a cooking whirlwind.
But there's a solution that's even easier than you can possibly imagine—one you can make almost entirely with ingredients you'll already have on hand—plus a little help from your friends.
Fromage fort is a pungent, creamy (in the best possible way) French cheese spread that I first learned about several years ago viaAlton Brownwhen he made it on his TV showSerious Eats.It's almost embarrassingly easy to make: All you need to do to make it is blend together pretty much any combination of cheeses that may be lurking in your refrigerator, plus a splash of liquid. Plus, with its nearly no-recipe-required ease, it's infinitely riffable.
You can even pawn the appetizer-making off on one of those friends that's eager to help out in the kitchen. Or ask guests to bring an ounce or two of their own cheese stash from home for a crowd-sourced fromage fort. It's nice to use a mix of creamy cheeses like chevre, Brie, or even cream cheese along with firmer cheeses like Gruyere, Parmesan, or white cheddar, but anything they bring will do—just no Velveeta or American, please. A dash of herbs go in for freshness (Thanksgiving-friendly sage, parsley, thyme leaves, and/or chives work particularly well). And while the liquid is traditionally white wine, feel free to use whatever you're drinking: Beer, hard cider, regular cider—just not anything too dark in color like red wine or stout, unless you don't mind a tinted spread.
Here's a basic guideline for how to make the cheese spread, but remember, tweak until your heart's content: Process1 pound cheese pieces(blue cheese tends to take over and can turn the spread grayish, so avoid it unless you’re going for that kind of thing),1 small garlic clove,2 tablespoons unsalted butter, anda handful of herbsin a food processor until cheese and garlic are broken down. With motor running, streamdry white wine,apple juice, orbeeruntil mixture is a spreadable consistency—the amount will depend on the creaminess of your cheeses, but aim for about 1/4 cup of liquid. Serve spread on crackers or with crudités.
Best of all, having guests to help out with the appetizer will keep them entertained while you put the finishing touches on dinner. And asking everyone contribute something to one dish is a great"Stone Soup"-style way to represent how important each person is to you on our annual day of thanks. Even if thatisa little bit....ahem, cheesy.
