Options for Your Cheese Course as Dessert

I know I said I don't do desserts but I do cheese courses and often times, as desserts.  Here are two of my favorite cheese courses and a fruit dessert:

A terrific mountain gorgonzola (your cheese expert will help here) drizzled with honey and scatter toasted walnuts around the cheese. Serve with a good crusted bread.  Another cheese course is a terrific manchego cheese with fresh figs, dried mission figs or a fig and almond cake.  Serve both with a port of your choice.

In addition to these cheese options try very fresh strawberries with balsamic vinegar and freshly cracked pepper.   Trim strawberries and drizzle them with 25 year old balsamic and a few turns of the old pepper grinder.  Too good to be true....

Strawberries Pazzo

Strawberries Pazzo

Ingredients
Serves: Serves 4

6 tablespoons Balsamic vinegar
1/2 cup Superfine sugarGray Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Or use
1/2 cup NapaStyle Pazzo Marinade

2 cups Strawberries, stemmed and quartered
6 Italian-style biscotti, about 6 inches long
4 oz. Mascarpone cheese or vanilla gelato

Directions

Combine vinegar, sugar, salt and black pepper. Mix well to incorporate. Let stand for 15 minutes.

When ready, stir again to incorporate all the sugar then pour over sliced strawberries and gently toss until berries are fully coated. (If using Pazzo Marinade, pour over strawberries; toss until berries are fully coated.)

Gently crush biscotti into 4 serving bowls. Spoon strawberries on top. Stir mascarpone cheese to a smooth consistency then top each serving with a dollop of mascarpone. Finish with any remaining syrup and serve immediately.

Optional serving suggestion:
For an elegant presentation, place a single Italian-style biscotti finger upright in a martini glass. Spoon marinated berries into the glass and top with frozen yogurt or gelato.