Sugar & Spice by Celeste

*** There are certain foods that are worth dreaming about, and artisan cheeses certainly deserve a spot on that list.  I was recently contacted by the awesome folks at Belle Chevre Creamery , who wanted to feature my blog on their website as part of a four week series spotlighting healthy summer recipes by none other than Chef Marvin Woods .  I was so thrilled about the opportunity! Take a look at the article HERE! Chef Marvin Woods is an Emmy Award-Nominated television host, celebrity chef, and cookbook author.  In addition, Chef Woods was chosen as the very first chef to kick off Michelle Obama's Let's Move! campaign.   Pretty amazing stuff, huh?? I was equally excited to find out that Belle Chevre Creamery, a company that has produced internationally acclaimed chevre cheeses for over 20 years, is located right here in my home-state of Alabama!  Belle Chevre has teamed up with Chef Woods to create a new e-Cookbook filled with wonderful and HEALT...

  ***Fig season is a glorious thing, my friends!  For months now, I have been looking forward to getting my hands on some fresh figs.  Here in the South, figs are just starting to come into season, and I'm pretty excited about it.  Can't you tell?   :) As it turns out, figs can be hard to find in grocery stores right now.  I had to call several stores around town before I found one that had some still in stock.  I bought 3 lbs. of the yummy fruit and headed home to make fig jam. The recipe below is incredibly addictive.  It's great on a cracker or straight out of the jar!  One of my favorite snacks is a whole wheat cracker with a slice of good quality French Brie cheese and a dollop of fig preserves.  Mmm, Mmm!! I tweaked amounts in the original recipe a little to suit my tastes.  I was so pleased with the way this jam turned out.  So much so, that I will only use this recipe in the future.  It's wonderfully...

  I am so excited to share this recipe for an exquisitely delicious Blueberry Tart with you all.  One bite of this dessert transported me right back to the boulangeries in Paris, France, with their shelves and shelves of gorgeous tarts and other expertly-made decadent desserts.  Each one beckoning you to try a bite!  But wait...They are almost too pretty to eat! A pic from our trip to Paris in 2009...This boulangerie was right down the street from our hotel. Check out those gorgeous tarts!  Don't you want one? The flavor of this Blueberry Tart is exceptional...I'm at a loss of words to even describe it to you!  Between the fresh orange zest, vanilla beans and nutmeg...I am speechless! Suzanne and Maranne made this tart for me while they were here a few weeks ago.  I knew something special was in the works with one look into the kitchen.  They were hard at work kneading, mixing and stirring.  I was so impressed ...