A Feast of Enchantment: 5 Simple, Sublime Appetizers

 "Enter these enchanted woods,

You who dare."

--George Meredith, Victorian Novelist and Poet

The Novel Bakers present the second installment of The Forest Feast,
which isn't just a cookbook--it is an enchanted fairy tale for foodies.

The moment I read the introduction, I was swept into the place where food and magic are born. 

At long last, I had found recipes that were made for an exhausted cook like myself--dishes that could be whipped up in seconds and tasted fabulous.
But The Forest Feast is so much more.
When I read the first recipe, I knew I was in the presence of something grand and life-affirming.

In this book, classic dishes are reinvented, combining flavors in fresh, fragrant ways. As I looked at the photos and ingredients, I felt like Alice in Wonderland, curiouser and curiouser.

Is it possible for recipes to be seductive? 

Can I learn how to conjure the very best from ordinary ingredients? 

Can ordinary humans be charmed, dazzled, and forever changed by a cookbook?

I have become enchanted by pomegranates.
They're nutritious, versatile, whimsical, and deeply symbolic. The slick, flushed exterior gives no hint of what lies in its secret heart. One slash of the knife, and we see what the fruit has been hiding: edible jewels.

I have been hypnotized by the smoky, garlicky taste of roasted nuts. 

Printable Recipe

 I am mesmerized by light, crunchy Fried Sage Leaves. 

Printable Recipe

Sage Chips

What You Need:

A bunch of fresh sage

olive oil

sea salt

Pour olive oil into a pan and heat. Drop sage leaves into the oil and brown slightly.

Using a slotted spoon, transfer chips onto a paper towel. Sprinkle with salt.

from The Forest Feast by Erin Gleeson

* * *

 I am spellbound by puff pastry-wrapped asparagus.

Printable Recipe

 I am bewitched by brie, 

especially when it wrapped in pastry, steeped in garlic, and dusted with pomegranate seeds.

But this is no ordinary brie recipe. The ingredients may change the way I cook--

and change the way I think about combining flavors.

Printable Recipe

I am possessed by a need to consume vast quantities of strawberry salsa.
I am captivated by the zingy taste and the provocative way it hunkers on bruschetta. 

Each bite summons the gods of taste.

Printable Recipe

The feast awaits you and me....

if we dare.

I'm entranced by The Forest Feast.

Each recipe begins with ordinary ingredients,

and within minutes (and minimal effort), you end up with something extraordinary.

* * *

 On this cold November day, I am dreaming of recipes.

 photo credit: Tyler West

 I am dreaming of polka-dot focaccia, strawberry-arugula wraps, asparagus tarts, rosemary skewers, and kale Caesar salad with polenta croutons.  I am dreaming of anything with pomegranates. 

 Photo Credit: Tyler West

 Persimmon-Pomegranate Salad

 Photo Credit: Tyler West

 Photo Credit: Tyler West

Photo Credit: Tyler West, Biochemist and Honorary Novel Baker

Visit the Novel Bakers for enchanted excursions into the forest:

Jain at ...a quiet life  and Mary at Home Is Where the Boat Is.

For more inspiration, visit A Forest Feast on the NB's Pinterest Board.

Shared at Tablescape Thursday, Wow Us Wednesdays,  and Home Sweet Home.

Note: The Forest Feast is a book from my personal collection. This is not a compensated review--just playtime with the Novel Bakers and joyful sharing of a great cookbook.

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