Hot Dates

How we make it.

Dried dates, halved and pitted
Goat cheese
Slivered almonds, toasted and ground
Fresh mint, chopped
Drizzle of Pappy Van Winkle Bourbon Barrel-Aged Spicy Maple Syrup

Now listen here, I don't have exact measurements for you on any of this because I made about 9 million of these Hot Dates for a party. I have full confidence you can figure it out anyway. Get yourself some nice dates and a log of creamy goat cheese. No herbs! Just plain. Stash a little glob of goat cheese in each little date boat once you have halved and pitted them. Top with slivered almonds (toasted until lightly browned at 350 degrees on a sheet pan) and then ground up in a food processor. Stamp each stuffed date into the bowl of ground almonds goat cheese side down so the almonds stick. Then scatter with fresh chopped mint and drizzle with spicy syrup! These dates are hot because the syrup is spicy but served at room temperature. Enjoy the best date of your life!

Why we make it.

I've told you before that I started this blog because my friend Carson told me to. The year prior my other friend Louise had me do some recipe development for her family's company, and after getting a taste of playing with food professionally I was sick with passion and needed a continued outlet. Fast forward to today—nearly a year after I started putting meatballs on the internet Louise's sister and mom asked me to do the food for a special party at their store. Baby’s first catering gig. What a revelation. We all know that I have no idea where this little art project I call Dorsey Dish is going, but last week it went downtown with a stockpot of salami, a gallon zip lock of smoked salmon dip and more goat cheese stuffed dates than you could shake a skewer at. Maybe it’s the start of the next phase. Either way the dates were great. Creamy, tangy, spicy and sweet, this dynamite canapé is finished with a drizzle of caramel colored heat and a shower of fresh mint. Perfect for a cocktail party or an Easter buffet, this simple hors d’oeuvre will have you reaching for the finishing syrup. Nobody makes that better than Pappy & Co, and that’s why I made it for them.