Mustard Fruit with Marscapone
As we are packing up for a little Spring Break getaway, I find myself reflecting on what vacations with kids really mean. I think more than anything it’s a change of scenery and a loosening of rules. As a parent, there will still be shoes to tie, meals to plan (whether out or in), bruises to kiss and bedtimes to enforce. But maybe we’ll find ourselves barefoot more often, skipping lunch after a cafe brunch and staying up late watching a movie or chasing fireflies.
Many of my friends choose to stay in houses over hotels when traveling as a family. It’s nice to have more space than a hotel room affords and the flexibility that a kitchen offers is invaluable. While we may take time to shop for breakfast cereal, pretzels and chips, and food for the grill, it’s nice to throw together a little hors d’oeuvre when happy hour rolls around. With no idea if your kitchen comes equipped with a food processor or baking sheets and no desire to fuss, something quick and easy fits the bill.
I tore this recipe for Impromptu Mustard Fruit with Mascarpone from The New York Times Magazine on November 21, 2004. While I did have two children at the time, I’m not sure that I yet realized the true beauty of simplicity and that a change of scenery could be such a treat.
Mustard Fruit with Mascarpone
- Superior quality jam (I used Stonewall Kitchen Fig & Ginger Jam)
- Coleman's dry mustard
- Mascarpone cheese (can substitute cream cheese)
- crusty bread, sliced 1/4" thick and toasted
- Sea Salt
- Measure out the amount of jam you would like to use in a small bowl. For each tablespoon of jam, add 1 teaspoon of dry mustard. Stir with a small spoon. Spread cheese on toasted bread slices. Top each slice with the jam mixture followed by a sprinkling of sea salt. After five minutes in the kitchen, sit back and enjoy your vacation--glass of wine in hand.
Mustard Fruit with Mascarpone: The Elements