Rosemary Cheese with Fig Preserves

This is one of my favorite recipes for "5 o'clock somewhere." It is so easy, goes together quickly, easy to transport and everyone likes. I use a 2 cup prep bowl lined with plastic wrap for the mold and don't even bother to grease it as the cheese is easy to turnout. Any imperfections are covered up by the topping. I agree that you aren't limited to just fig preserves.

This was such a hit on Easter, I made it for Mother's Day, too! Easy too make, impressive presentation (I think the mold is a must), and delicious. I made it exactly as the recipe says, using fresh rosemary from the garden. My only advice is to invest in a top quality fig preserve or compote from your gourmet market -- it makes a huge difference. I used a regular supermarket product the first time and upgraded to an imported one the second time, people really noticed.

Dried Rosemary works just as well and blends easier. Also I prefer Tapenade instead of Fig Preserves (they're too sweet). This reminds me of a cheese appetizer we tasted in Provence.

I have made this recipe for years and it always is a big hit. It's simple to prepare but makes a very sophisticated appetizer (it also is great to take places - little fuss). I don't have a mold so I just wrap the cheese in plastic wrap and shape it into a log before refrigerating.

I took this to a party and it was a HUGE hit. Everyone was asking for the recipe --- always a good compliment. Easy to prepare; I toasted a fresh baguette to serve it on. The only problem was trying to find fig preserves. The closest I could come was a fig and balsamic topping made for spreading over brie.