I have some very exciting news.
It’s no secret that Paris is my favorite city. This photo was taken in September, less than 1 year ago.
It was my first trip back over the water, since the lockdown and the crushing blow to my business. At this time, I wasn’t sure if I’d be able to return to work at all, a clear path forward had not presented itself. Bringing my love of food and France together in A Taste of Paris trips has been a passion project spanning more than a decade, so I remained hopeful.
Since this picture was taken in front of the Eiffel Tower, I’ve taken my first group back to Paris, we depart for Provence in a few short weeks, AND the Paris 2024 trip has sold out!! It all happened so fast, the trip was never even dropped to ATOP readers!! Whew! What a whirlwind these last 11 months have been.
Less than a year ago, when I got on the plane there was so much uncertainty. By the absolute grace of God, we are back at it at ATOP and I could not be more thrilled!
It’s such a joy to share the treasures that France has to offer with travelers. If you think you might like to travel with A Taste of Paris, please join the waitlist so you will be the first to know about upcoming adventures in the city of light and beyond!
In addition to this exciting news, I’ll be sharing my favorites with you during the month of August. It’s my birthday month and a big birthday indeed so we will start today with one of my all-time favorite appetizers, Baked Goat Cheese with Tomato Confit.
Tomatoes are at their peak in ripeness and flavor making this the best time to whip up this fabulous appetizer that pairs perfectly with a bottle of champagne, white wine or a French rosé.
Baked Goat Cheese with Tomato Confit
Tomato Confit
1 ½ cups cherry tomatoes cut in half
8 Roma tomatoes seeded and cut in quarters
8-10 fresh basil leaves torn
3 cloves garlic pressed
1/4 cup olive oil
Pinch of fresh thyme
½ teaspoon sugar
¼ teaspoon salt
Pinch of fresh ground pepper
Baked Goat Cheese
6 ounces fresh chevre
8 ounces of cream cheese
1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese
1 clove garlic pressed
Preheat oven to 200 degrees and line a roasting pan with foil. Place all ingredients for the confit in the pan and toss well to coat the tomatoes with oil and seasonings. Spread the tomatoes out to form a single layer. Roast for 1 hour, remove pan and stir tomato mixture, spread out again, replace pan in the oven and repeat this process after 1 more hour. If tomatoes are still very wet, continue roasting for an additional 30 minutes. Store the tomato confit in the refrigerator until needed. To prepare Baked Goat Cheese, preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Place all ingredients in a bowl and mix well with an electric mixer. Grease a 6×6 baking dish and fill it with the cheese mixture. Bake uncovered for 18-20 minutes until cheese is bubbling. Top with Tomato Confit and serve with bread or crackers.
TIP- To keep Tomato Confit for up to two weeks in the refrigerator, store in a glass jar and cover the tops of the tomatoes with olive oil.
This recipe was first developed for The Art of Living Beautifully and published there in 2017.
Let me know if you like the Baked Goat Cheese with Tomato Confit as much as I do and maybe share your most favorite appetizers below!
XO
Lorie
