Having a few items ready and waiting in your pantry makes it a breeze to throw together a nibble when guests drop in.

On a bread board, I brought out a soft Boursin herb cheese, mixed olives, sliced dried mission figs, and Roux de Loo’s sweet and salty honey-glazed almonds. I sprinkled over some dried cranberries for color and fanned out some water crackers.

There you go! Open a bottle of your favorite red wine (or white) and let the chatting begin.  This would be a good informal first course while dinner is finishing in the oven or, in my case, just a nibble with our wine while catching up.

Thank you for visiting and Bon Appétit!