The Traveling Epicurean

Olive Cheddar Balls

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Maybe it’s the delicate crumble texture of the outer shell or the subtle butter and cheddar flavors, surely it could be the lovely tang you get when you bite into the olive. Whatever you decide I know you will be excited that I shared this fun 50’s appetizer from Chef Marco! You may remember another one of his recipes from a show we taped featuring his Panzanella, the amazing Italian Bread Salad!

Over the years another culinary friend of mine, Jim Lee, Saucier-Chef & Oenophile (Connoisseur of fine wines) has been emphasizing to me the need to offer people appropriate pairings to go with all these yummy recipes. So I’m thrilled to say I’ve begun collaborating with Kyle Haines from Fairfield County IT  in a show called Libations and Food where we show you how to pair libations and food, a 5 course dinner with the perfectly paired libations! The food and drink recipes in these shows will be available here on my website, my YouTube Channel, and at Libationsandfood.com

Wait until you see what the perfect pairing for these olive cheddar balls are. NYC Mixologist Marcel Jinoch was our libations master mind behind this olive cheddar balls recipe, a Mediterranean Gin & Tonic and Vermouth Spritzer! Check out the ingredients below. I admit I always thought I was more of a wine and beer paring kind of person but these sophisticated and delicious cocktails opened up a whole new world. We will soon be releasing another LIBATIONS AND FOOD show featuring Marcel, as well as Italian wine makers from Italy and our 5 course Italian dinner. You can try these cocktails right now, let me know what you think! Here they are…

~Mediterranean Gin & Tonic~

~Vermouth Spritzer~

Mediterranean Gin & Tonic Ingredients:

1.5 oz. Fords Gin

Fever Tree Tonic

Pinch of Sea Salt

Mediterranean Olives, large

Fresh Rosemary Sprigs

Directions:  

1.  Fill highball glass with ice

2.  Pour in gin and top off with tonic

3.  Add a pinch of salt and garnish with olives, and rosemary

 

Vermouth Spritzer Ingredients:

1.25 oz. Mancino Secco

1.25 oz. Dolin Blanc

San Pellegrino, and San Pellegrino Blood Orange

Peach Bitters

Fresh Berries, Cucumber slices & Mint

Directions:  

1.  Fill cocktail glass with ice

2.  Pour in both vermouths and add peach bitters

3.  Top off with splash of both Pellegrino & Pellegrino Blood Orange

3.  Garnish with fresh berries, cucumber and mint

 

~OLIVE CHEDDAR BALLS~

Ingredients:

1 jar manzanillo olives with pimento (40), drained

1 1/4 all-purpose flour

8 oz. finely shredded cheddar cheese, yellow

1 stick melted butter, cool to room temp

1/8  tsp cayenne powder

parchment paper

Directions:

    1. Pre-heat oven to 400°
    2. Melt butter in microwave
    3. Drain jar of olives, and pat dry with paper towels
    4. Add flour, shredded cheddar cheese & melted butter in a food processor and pulse until a dough ball forms
    5. Scoop 1 tsp of dough making a thumb indent, place whole olive in the center
    6. With your fingers move the dough around the sides of the olive to completely enclose it
    7. Roll the dough ball in a circular motion, like rolling a meatball
    8. Place olive cheddar balls on a parchment covered cookie tray
    9. Bake for 14 minutes until lightly golden