“Triple Cream Stuffed Medjool Dates were a ALWAYS popular with my catering clients. Often, I would serve them as an accompaniment to the buffet salad. In keeping with this tradition, I created a goat cheese version to accompany my Creamy Lemon Champagne Vinaigrette featured in the Midsummer Mediterranean Grill in Issue No. 4. The creamy, tangy, zesty, lemony, sweet combination…is heavenly. Bon Appetweet!”

Honey Goat Cheese-Stuffed Medjool Dates
Yields: Approximately 10 pieces

Ingredients:
4 ounces fresh goat cheese (chèvre)
1 tablespoon honey
10 Medjool dates, pitted and sliced halfway through lengthwise
¼ cups walnuts, finely chopped

(1) Make a lengthwise cut in each date, remove pit, and gently pinch open to form a pocket.

(2) In a medium-size bowl, blend together goat cheese and honey. Using approximately a teaspoon of honey goat cheese at a time, shape into 10 balls.

(3) Fill each date with a honey goat cheese ball and with index finger, lightly press the ball into each date and smooth the top.

(4) Press the cheese side of each stuffed date into the chopped walnuts. Lightly tap to remove excess nuts, arrange on a platter and serve. Can be made a day ahead and refrigerated.

Note: Experiment with other soft cheeses and toppings. Chef Lea often makes stuffed Medjool dates with Brie cheese and freshly chopped chives.

Creamy Lemon Champagne Vinaigrette Recipe

Photography by Lea McIntosh

Images by Erin DeMartini and Sunghi Sonia Morsella

Like the Pied Piper, Chef Lea McIntosh led the audience (right after her live cooking demonstration for the SFDC Culinarium) over to the Duralee Showroom for Chic Bites tasting! We simply followed the aroma-trail of her Truffle Honey Holiday Baked Brie (fresh from the Miele ovens in the Christopher Peacock demo kitchen). The reception was a celebration of SFDC’s Culinarium, Duralee Fabrics, Nesting Newbies, and AphroChic! Everyone was greeted with a beautiful vignette of Duralee’s tufted Riverside wingback chair and an AphroChic black and white Reflection pillow.

Serve them Truffle Honey Holiday Baked Brie…and they will come! Chef Lea is wearing one of her custom chef coats with interchangeable cuffs. These cuffs are ultra-glam and made with “Aquamarine” from the Marakesh Collection from Highland Court Fabrics by Duralee. As you scroll through the photos notice the “blooming branches” centerpiece and glass vases filled with handcrafted flowers…no need for fresh flowers when you can use Duralee fabric flowers instead! (We’ll show you how to make them in a future DIY post!)

Get the recipe!

The tables are set using linens from La Tavola Fine Linen Rental…They are one of the best sources when you are longing for linens that are really special. We were thrilled to discover several tablecloths available in Thomas Paul fabrics. A perfect fit for Duralee because they represent Thomas Paul fabrics! We selected Twitter in Maize.

Meanwhile…there’s lots of Muscat Pear Marmalade tasting going on : ).

(They don’t know it yet, but everyone gets to take some home!)

Rick Guerra was on hand to pour a selection of fine wines from Napa Valley’s Verismo Wines.

Laura Logan, the SFDC Duralee Showroom Manager, is AWESOME! We thank her for being her cool self and everyone at Duralee for hosting this fabulous reception.

Check out scenes from Lea’s live Culinarium event.