Random Things and Tomato Canapes

While reading some of my favorite blogs this morning I found a required ingredient called mange tout. I had never heard of this and as always don't like being uninformed on such things so...I discovered it means, in French, "eat it all" and refers to snow peas and/or the leaves thereof. I am now feeling deeply enriched.

And while we're having a french lesson...my book of the week informs me that the word hors d'oeuvres means "outside of the works". I didn't know that either.

Anybody ever hear of something called Snappy Cheese? I thought it was perhaps a brand name but couldn't find such a product. I think it might be some kind of processed cheese spread and/or a shredded cheese conglomeration that you can also make? Dunno. I found a recipe for Paprika Cheese Fingers that calls for 3oz. of it. I'm not planning on making these even if I find out what Snappy Cheese is but I was just wondering...

This recipe is so insanely simple and I had some large heirloom cherry tomatoes that I thought would work nicely. The curry was nice but I think it would have been better on white toasts rather than the rye. I think I will make these again and also try a basil mayonnaise just to change it up.

Recipe: Tomato Canapes
I cut out bread rounds (use whatever kind of bread you have on hand) the approximate size of my cherry tomato slices drizzled them with some olive oil and lightly toasted them in a frying pan (the broiler would work too). Put a slice of tomato on each round and sprinkle with salt & pepper. In a small bowl, mix a good quality mayo with a little curry powder (or you could just add some chopped fresh basil if curry isn't your thing), to taste, and put a little dollop on top of each. Had I thought of it at the time I would have sprinkled some fresh chopped chives on top but they were still delicious. You could do these as little BLTs with a chive-mayo or cut little rounds of mozzarella, top with a piece of basil and then the tomato with a little drizzle of a nice syrupy balsamic vinegar and s&p. Just go nuts!

This is my very first try at food photography so forgive me while I work out the kinks.

This was such a nice light appetizer. Greg (my husband) and I sat out with a glass of wine, talked about our day and we weren't too full for a late dinner. We're hanging on tightly to the last vestiges of summer. Enjoy!