Sunday, May 1, 2011

Smörgåsbord

Night after night it’s always the same question: “Did you eat?” “What do you want for dinner?”
Now don’t get me wrong, you all know how much I love to cook but some nights it’s the last thing I want to go. After a long, grueling day at work I just want to sit down with a glass of wine and stare at a wall.
My go-to meal on those nights is one that always brings my palate back to life and it involves little to no cooking. This plate is something I look forward to above all and it never disappoints, no matter what ingredients I use.
It’s a smorgasbord!!!! The unofficial (Kristinized) definition is: a whole bunch of whatever on a plate paired with good wine. 

According to Wikipedia: “Smörgåsbord  is a type of Scandinavian meal served buffet-style with multiple dishes of various foods on a table, originating in Sweden. In Norway it is called koldtbord, in Denmark it is called kolde bord, in Finlandseisova pöytä and in Estonia rootsi laud. Smörgåsbord became internationally known as Smorgasbord at the 1939 New York World's Fairwhen it was offered at the Swedish Pavilion's "Three Crowns Restaurant." It is typically a celebratory meal and guests can help themselves from a range of dishes laid out for their choice. In a restaurant, the term refers to a buffet-style table laid out with many small dishes from which, for a fixed amount of money, one is allowed to choose as many as one wishes.”
My personal favorite version of this delicious mess of a dinner is to pair fresh baked French baguette with whichever cheeses (yes, this is plural) I’m in the mood for, a juicy fruit such as grapes or a perfectly ripe pear, herb seasoned olives and a cured meat such as prosciutto all paired with your choice of vino or beer.
To have fresh delicious fresh bread at home, I use Pillsbury's French loaf and bake it minutes before I serve this dish. It's always cooked perfectly and nothing beats fresh bread straight out of the oven. 
This is definitely a meal you can play around with and eat with good company very slowly over good wine and conversation. It allows you to experiment with pairings and eat until your heart is content and is perfect for parties!
Not that hungry? Scale down the portions for a vegetarian meal for one! 


Play around with this one and let me know what you think. 
Bon Appetite!