Toast

Kari and Brian Chase of St. Paul, Minnesota say that their neighborhood has a great restaurant: 128 Cafe. The last time they were there they tried a delicious appetizer of crisp bread with roasted garlic, goat cheese and apple chutney.

Goat cheese and fennel prove to be the perfect partners for smoked salmon. Pour glasses of Champagne or Sauvignon Blanc.

To set a festive mood, serve these with mimosas made with icy-cold Prosecco and freshly squeezed tangerine juice.

Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

Freedom from the skillet is a big benefit of this baked version of the classic.

Fontina cheese is available at cheese shops and some supermarkets.

In this easy starter, a mix of tangy blue cheese, chopped toasted walnuts and peppery arugula makes a delicious topping for baguette toasts.

Short of time? Then skip the broiling, and serve the crostini cold.

Grapes marinated in Port with rosemary and them combined with the mild garlic and the creamy cheese lead to an inventive appetizer. Use both red and green grapes for a pretty presentation.

Start with mugs of tomato soup, then serve a tossed green salad with these open-face sandwiches. To wrap up such a straightforward Rocky Mountain-style dinner, put out giant sugar cookies, a basket of pears and a bowl of candied almonds. Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

The tomato topping for these crostini is based on that of a "fettunta pomodoro" (a variation of bruschetta made with whole-wheat peasant bread) sampled at Florence's Cantinetta Antinori, owned by the well-know winemaking family. To create visual variety for our presentation, we have made half of the crostini with the black olive paste on top and the rest with the red tomato mixture on top. Those who prefer a simpler recipe can sprinkle all of the bread slices with Parmesan before toasting (doubling the amount of cheese) and top all of the crostini with the tomato mixture and then the olive paste.

The artichoke puree has a nice tarragon flavor that is a lovely complement to the beef. Use the remaining puree as a dip for crudités or pita bread.

Active time: 15 min Start to finish: 20 min

Can be prepared in less than 45 minutes.

This recipe was created to accompany Caramelized Leek Soup. Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

Like feta cheese, ricotta salata is made from sheep's milk, but it is milder and nuttier. Avoid prepackaged cheese if possible (most cheese stores will cut it from a wheel for you). It keeps for up to three weeks in the refrigerator. Active time: 40 min Start to finish: 40 min

This recipe can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

Apples are one of the culinary symbols of Normandy, and Camembert cheese is one of its great man-made products. There is a season for Camembert, too: In September and October, it is at its buttery, flavorful peak. Present this salad French style, after the main course. For dessert, pick up some pastries from the bakery.

Made with less water than is used for soft polenta, the firm polenta in this appetizer has a texture like that of dough. Make sure the work surface, rolling pin and cookie cutter are wet — otherwise, the polenta will stick.