Tag Archives: cottage cheese

Last Friday, the girls from the hat shop came over for dinner. I made this Apple Cheese Salad in individual serving sizes for an elegant appetizer, and they loved it! As you slide your fork into the dish, the cottage cheese layer on the bottom folds into the tart lemon and green apple layer above it. Pecans lend their buttery crunch to the dish, and a dash of black pepper spices the whole thing up. Rhuby (short for Rhubarb, but she hates to be called Barb) said it was better than the antics she had the previous night (which were discussed at dinner but will not be repeated here).

After dinner, we all went out for drinks to this place in the East Village. Clementine knows one of the waitresses there, so we had excellent service. We ordered gin cocktails and received them almost immediately. As we quaffed our Gimlets, we giggled at Rhuby’s tales of romantic woes and evening excursions (and boy, does she have a lot of stories). Coco (our nickname for Coconut) doesn’t hold her gin very well, the poor dear. After one drink she was so sloshed we had to put her in a cab home. When Clementine called for more cocktails, the waitress pulled her to the bar to introduce her to the new bartender, leaving Rhuby short one audience member. Not to be outshone, Rhuby fluffed her bouffant and leaned over to the next table, and before we knew it three fine gentlemen had joined us for Rhuby’s story time.

I wasn’t so sure about these gentlemen. Rhuby, while great at meeting new people, isn’t exactly cautious in her choices. I maintained social participation, but I didn’t go much beyond my usual politeness. As a result, my stories are not as entertaining as Rhuby’s.

One of the gentlemen, though, seemed more interested in hearing about my new job than he was in Rhuby’s adventures. His name is Quince. His English accent (and that second Gimlet) melted my politeness into a puddle. About two years ago, he moved from London to New York to pursue his career in the wine industry; he imports European wines into America. He told me about his fascinating career, which involves frequent traveling to France and Italy, and I told him my telephone number. He called exactly three days later, and we set up a date for this weekend! He’s taking me to the oh-so-fancy Très Chic for dinner. I’ll let you know how it goes!

Apple Cheese Salad

From Joys of Jell-O

“A tangy, satisfying mold to serve as a side salad or luncheon entree. For a heartier meal, try the tuna version.”

1 package (3 oz.) Jell-O Lemon or Lemon-Lime Gelatin
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup boiling water
3/4 cup cold water
1 to 2 tablespoons lemon juice
Dash of pepper
1 1/2 cups cottage cheese
3/4 cup diced unpeeled tart apples
1/4 cup chopped pecans

Dissolve Jell-O Gelatin and salt in boiling water. Add cold water, lemon juice, and pepper. Chill until very thick. Fold in cheese, apples, and pecans. Pour into a 1-quart mold or individual molds. Chill until firm. Unmold. Makes about 4 cups, or 4 entree servings or 6 to 8 side salads.