An Easy Holiday Appetizer and the Spices of Morocco

Cheese ball, crackers, candles, and shells

An Easy Holiday Appetizer and the Spices of Morocco

by Victoria Challancin

For a small dinner party for a group of girlfriends last week I was asked to bring an appetizer.  I didn't want anything that had to be served (or carried hot), nor anything too fussy, yet I needed something festive and tasty...What could be easier than a cheese ball?  A bit retro, of course, but always good. After searching the web for a slightly different take on the traditional cheese ball, I came up with this lovely version from the always reliable The Kitchn.  Of course I couldn't just leave it alone, so throwing it together in my own way, I came up with a slightly modified version.  It couldn't have been easier.  Delicious and easy--who doesn't need a recipe like this during the holidays

Christmas Gorgonzola Cheese Ball with Dried Figs and Honey

Cook's Notes:  I used only 190g of cream cheese as that is how Philadelphia brand packages it for Mexico, instead of 227g or a cup.  I also used a lovely hunk of Gorgonzola from Costco instead of a regular blue cheese.  The food processor made this incredibly fast to prepare.  The original recipe called for 1 cup cream cheese, 1 cup blue cheese, 1/3 cup dried figs, 2 tablespoons honey, and 1/4 cup toasted sliced almonds

Recipe:  Gorgonzola Cheese Ball with Dried Figs and Honey

(My version, based on one from The Kitchn)

2/3 cup dried figs

190g cream cheese (a 227g block would also work)

1 1/2 cups gorgonzola cheese, in chunks

2 to 3 tablespoons honey, depending on how sweet you want it

1/2 cup toasted sliced almonds

Lightly toast almond slices in a small dry skillet until golden.  Set aside to cool.

Place dried figs in food processor and pulse to finely chop.
Add cream cheese, gorgonzola and honey.  Process until smooth, leaving it a bit chunky, if desired.

Spread almonds on a large plate.  Form a ball with the cheese mixture.  Roll the ball on the plate with the almonds, making sure it is completely covered with almonds.  Wrap the cheese ball in plastic wrap and refrigerate until firm, at least 2 hours.  Serve with baguette toasts or crackers.

Christmas Gorgonzola Cheese Ball with Dried Figs and Honey

The Spices of Morocco

Other posts you might enjoy on spices (with lots of photos to inspire!):

Ras el Hanout:  A Magical Blend of Moroccan Spices

The Spices of Morocco

The Spices of Morocco--the Blends  (I love these photos of various blends)

When writing about spices, sometimes I think letting the photos speak for themselves is enough.  I only wish I could capture the smells...

Having said that, though, I read back over some old posts and thought I would repeat this little bit from a post I did a couple of years ago:

In my very private musings, I secretly think of myself as The Spice Queen.  I know, I know...it is a bit pretentious and over-blown, but truly I gravitate to cuisines that use ample amounts of spices and I, myself love to toast and grind all manner of blends, from Ras el Hanout, curry blends (see my Garam Masala here), Middle Eastern baharat (or Dukkah, or Za'atar), Cajun blends, Quatre Epices, Jerk Seasoning, and so many more.  Whether this love comes from deep in my DNA or simply is an offshoot from the countless spices markets I have loved all over the world, spices do permeate my kitchen and my life.  I hunger for them; I seek them out; I read about them; I lecture on them; but most importantly, I use them...

Once when my son was a teenager returning from a year of study in France, he commented off-handedly on the way our house smelled.

Aghast, I said, "Our house smells?????"

"Of spices, Mum.  I always smell spices when I come in the door.  I think I missed that smell."

Whew!  The smell of spices.  A good thing.  A good thing indeed.

Below are some photos from the October trip I led to Morocco.  Just a sample.  I think my "spice album" had almost 100 shots of spices just from this trip!  Here are a few:

In Marrakech:  spices, incense, clay pumice stones, and more

The green in the background is henna

An example of a specific blend of spices from the Rissani souk--this one for fish, I think

The whole spices of one shop's ras el hanout blend.  Of course I had to buy some.  Of course

The reddest (unedited) paprika ever and dried roses, which figure into some Moroccan spice blends

A spice grinder, chile powder, and a variety of whole spices ready for grinding

Those lovely baby roses again...and handmade spoons, often made of either olive or lemon wood

If only I could capture the scents for you...if only

An extended view of an earlier photo.  More than just spices:  clay pumice stones, cowrie shells, kohl bottles and kohl itself in tiny vials...The barely visible bins in the upper righthand corner are pastas

The spices provided by La Maison Arabe for their cooking classes:  saffron, cinnamon, white pepper, ginger, turmeric, cumin, chile, ground coriander, paprika, and salt.  These are the main spices used in Moroccan cuisine.

Cinnamon in a jar

A box of spices at La Maison Arabe's cooking school in the country outside of Marrakech

Sometimes you see some sadly motley spices that no one would possibly buy.  These are mounded around an aluminum mold and are stale and unappealing, except for the presentation, which I find oddly fascinating.

©Victoria Challancin.  All Rights Reserved.

Flavors of the Sun International Cooking School

San Miguel de Allende, Mexico