CAMILLE AUBRAY’S Cocktails and Canapés Recipe

A reviewer once said, “Don’t read Camille Aubray’s books on an empty stomach, because you will soon be hungry for all the cuisine in the story!”

It’s true that I always take a deep dive into research for my novels, and that includes working with Michelin-starred chefs to discover the secrets of great food. This year, I’m celebrating the launch of the new trade paperback edition of my novel THE GODMOTHERS. It’s got special extras for readers and book clubs.

The Boston Globe picked the new edition of THE GODMOTHERS for their list of 2022’s “Best Books to Read on A Beach Vacation”. So don’t forget to tell all your your summer guests to pick up a copy—it fits so nicely into a beach bag! Here’s a link for it: https://www.amazon.com/Godmothers-Novel-Camille-Aubray/dp/0062983709 .

Now, here’s a lovely, easy way to enjoy the season. Even if it’s just for you and your husband or a friend, let’s simply celebrate love and good times and those “lazy, hazy, crazy days of summer”.

CAMILLE AUBRAY’S SEASIDE SUMMER COCKTAIL (recipe serves one)

1 ounce of good-quality gin
approximately 4 ounces of cold, dry champagne
the juice of 1/2 of a freshly-squeezed orange, lemon or lime
1/2 teaspoon of Aperol orange liquer
1/2 of a fresh peach, washed, peeled and sliced
2 fresh cherries, pitted, or dried (please don’t use maraschino cherries!)

In a large martini glass, stir the gin, Aperol and citrus juice together. Then drop in the peach slices and the cherries. Add 3 ice cubes, then fill the glass with cold champagne. It’s ready as soon as the glass frosts up and the drink is cold.

Note: If you want a non-alcoholic cocktail, just substitute a good cold sparking water for the champagne, and you can use an unsweetened fruit juice like cranberry or cherry or blueberry instead of the gin.

Serve with these canapés:

CAMILLE AUBRAY’S SUMMER SOLSTICE Canapés:

One of the things I’ve learned is that cocktails and canapés are more than just a nibbling diversion. When they’re done properly, they actually help your body and mind relax and get ready for the meal ahead. A canapé should be savory—a little salty, a bit spicy. It’s all good chemistry!

Historical tidbit: It is said that canapés are bits of food that sit on their little platform in the same way that people perch on a sofa! You can serve these ”perched” on crackers, but I like to make my own “sofa”.

For the “sofa”: I take 6 slices of white bread. Then I use a small glass or a third-of-a-cup measurer like a cookie-cutter, to cut out bread circles that should be about 2 and 1/2 inches in diameter. Take a large, heavy flat skillet and warm it to about low/medium heat. Place a small tab of unsalted (sweet) butter on each round, and place them butter-side down on the warm skillet. While they are browning gently, place another small tab of butter on the topside, so that you can turn them once and brown the second side. (They should be a golden, toasty color on both sides.) When done, place the bread rounds on a platter, leaving room in the center for the salad greens.

For the toppings:

Top half of the bread rounds with a bite-sized chunk of goat cheese. Top the remaining rounds with fresh sliced mozzarella cheese (the kind that comes in soft round mounds. Be sure to pat dry the mozzarella before you slice it.) You can substitute parmesan, gruyere, cheddar and cream cheese here, but I find that goat cheese and fresh mozzarella work best.

On top of the mozzarella: Place thinly-sliced rolls of prosciutto or ham (with the fat removed) in delicate little curls and press gently to hold in place. Then place fresh basil leaves on or in- between the mozzarella rounds.

On top of the goat cheese: Place a walnut and a dried fruit like a cherry or a raisin, pressing in slightly.

In the center of the platter: Place washed, fresh baby lettuce (I grew these in my garden!) and then top with sliced cherry tomatoes. Sprinkle with a few drops of lemon juice and olive oil and a pinch of salt.

Alternative Toppings: Instead of cheese, you can substitute chick peas, smoked salmon or chopped hard-boiled eggs for the toppings if you like.

Have a few small bowls of extra-virgin olive oil with little serving spoons on hand for dipping or sprinkling. And give your guests some small forks and small plates so they can have the salad greens with their canapés; and provide everyone with cocktail napkins.

This platter works as a “tea time” or late night snack. If serving it as an appetizer, your main course should be either something that you can cook quickly, like steaks on a grill, or something that you can leave in the oven to roast, like beef, chicken or a whole fish.

That way, you can sit with your guests and watch the sun set, while you enjoy your cocktails and canapés and salute the lazy summer days!

Camille Aubray is the author of the novels COOKING FOR PICASSO and THE GODMOTHERS.

All Text and Pictures here are under copyright ©CamilleAubrayLLC