I've had this addiction/blog for a little over five years. Five years is a long time. An eternity you might say - at least for me. Over those five years I've read a lot of other blogs and made some great blog friends and, of course, I've gotten to know a lot of my readers - you are the cherry on top! A lot of blogs have come and gone - I'll click over to read a favorite blog only to discover the blogger decided it was time to move on...and this has happened a lot lately. I'm not surprised when someone starts a blog and quits in the same month/year - it is work - coming up with something to post daily/weekly/monthly...year after year! I'm one of the lucky ones I suppose, I love blogging...I love being able to share the happy bits of my life...don't get me wrong, it's not that I live such an exciting life I think you're all dying to read about it, or that I'm such a great chef I can make you drool or that I'm infinitely fascinating...well, in my dreams I am...I am just happy to write about it all - to create something in this little space - mostly for my own entertainment and I can only hope for yours as well. So if you've clicked on a blog and found it's dead and gone, you don't have to worry about me, I'm staying put, not tossing in the keyboard yet...I'm still having too much fun! There are still too many things I want to do in this little space and things I want to share with you, like this appetizer!
I've yet to meet a smoked salmon spread/dip that I didn't like...and really, this is what this is, a smoked salmon dip without the dipping...oh sure, it's a a little more fuss to make individual appetizers instead of filling a bowl with dip and spreading around some cucumber slices or crackers - but this is absolutely worth the effort!
Pretty little appetizers you can pick up with one hand and pop in your mouth and then moan and sigh and lick your lips. Our neighbor smokes his own meats and fish and he thrilled us with a gift of his special salmon - which is more like candy than fish...caramelized, sweet, smoky...oh man, I wish you all had a neighbor like Steve! I just couldn't see smashing this beautiful salmon into a bowl of dip! And while it didn't need any dressing up, I wanted to make it a bit more special... Cream cheese, tarragon, lemon zest and a sprig of fresh dill on top of an English cucumber slice with a piece of smoked salmon...this is one appetizer that is truly worthy of ushering in a new year!
Smoked Salmon Cucumber Rounds - Pots and Pins
1 English cucumber, sliced into sixteen 1/4-inch rounds, peel left on (If you cut the cucumber a bit on the diagonal you will have a larger surface to hold more cream cheese/salmon...bigger is better!)
1/4 lb. thinly sliced smoked salmon
3/4 cup whipped cream cheese
1/4 teaspoon dried tarragon
1 teaspoon grated lemon zest
pinch of black pepper
3 fresh dill sprigs
In a small bowl combine the whipped cream cheese, tarragon, lemon zest and black pepper. Using a small spoon or knife, spread about a teaspoon onto each of the cucumber rounds. Top the cream cheese mixture with a piece of salmon then place a small sprig of fresh dill on top of the salmon. Makes 16 appetizers, serves 4.
“Hope smiles from the threshold of the year to come, whispering 'it will be happier'...”
