Sensational Snacking

As a girl who rapturously leafs through a Vogue magazine as part of her ritual "me" time, I take snacking seriously. Who (even at his or her most abstemious) could deny the tangy bliss of an extra-salted tortilla chip, smothered with a green, gooey gob of guacamole? Certainly, not I. To add, this combo to add can be whipped up in 15 or less at home, and is relatively healthy (I bake my chips and use just a light coat of oil). 


I therefore have no qualms with replacing my lunch or dinner with such a snacking indulgence (avec a diet coke and BBC miniseries to seal the deal). Yet, there are a multitude of other treats that can provide that mid-afternoon pick-me-up, many of which are slightly more refined and yet no less versatile.  Thus, in the spirit of snacking, I decided to pay tribute to my dad's latest culinary concoction: his homemade version of a delectable little dish called 'tapenade'.  

What exactly is a tapenade? Essentially, tapendade is a paste (of French provencal origins) made of ground olives, capers, and olive oil. In my opinion tapenades qualify as a sort of super-snack, foremost because they illuminate the whimsy and insouciance that make snacking both artful and irresistible. Consider, tapenade can be dabbled on a hardboiled aid, spread onto good bread or a multigrain cracker, or served as a dip for fresh crudites. It can also be used, as David Lebovitz recommends, in omelettes (folded in with some goat cheese) or on sandwiches. Lastly, there are many  easy tricks that will instantly glamorize your tapenade, giving it a touch of elegance for a dinner party for instance. One way is to serve it aside plain yogurt, which provides dramatic contrasts in color and taste.

As you can see in the picture my dad served his tapenade on a multi-grain herb cracker, though I would have paired it with yogurt considering the lamb. Either way, tapenade works well as an appetizer due to its strong, salty taste. I swear I could eat spoonfuls of it, just like guacamole and peanut butter. But it can also be used for a very classy, elegant hors d'oeuvre.    


Ingredients for a classic tapenade:
-1/2 lb mixed olives
-2 anchovy fillets (rinsed)
-1 small clove garlic, minced
- tablespoons capers
-a couple leaves of basil
-a good splash of lemon juice
-two table spoons olive oil

1. Step one: Place the ingredients in a food processor for a couple of minutes until it forms a paste, scraping sides occasionally. 

2. Step two: Indulge properly (on a picnic bench with a comic book...and a cracker)