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Robert St. John

Restaurateur, author, enthusiastic traveler, & world-class eater.

It Ain’t a Party Until Someone Brings Out a Block of Cream Cheese

My friend, Julia Reed, says, “You would never see a naked block of cream cheese in the South. It will always be coated with one of at least three delicious things: Pickapeppa Sauce, Jezebel Sauce, or pepper jelly.” In honor of Julia, these recipes take the dumping-a-jar-of-pepper-jelly-on-top-of-a-block-of-cream-cheese staple to another level. Serve all three at once for a beautiful, colorful, and mouth-watering presentation.

Ingredients

1 8oz block cream cheese

Peach Topping
¾ cup peach preserves
1 /8 tsp cayenne pepper
½ tsp crushed red pepper chili flakes
¼ tsp paprika
Pinch of salt

Blueberry Topping
¾ cup Blueberry Preserves
1 Tbsp finely minced shallot
2 tsp balsamic vinegar
2 tsp cornstarch
1 tsp black pepper, freshly ground
1 /8 tsp cayenne pepper

Orange Topping
¾ cup orange marmalade
1 Tbsp horseradish
2 tsp Worcestershire Sauce
¼ tsp white pepper
1 Tbsp sour cream

Instructions

Peach Topping

Combine ingredients. Top cream cheese with half of the mixture. Reserve other half to pour over cream cheese as the topping is consumed.

Orange Topping

Combine ingredients. Top cream cheese with half of the mixture. Reserve other half to pour over cream cheese as the topping is consumed.

Blueberry Topping

Heat preserves and shallots over medium heat until it begins to simmer. Combine vinegar with cornstarch and stir it into simmering preserves. Remove from the heat and stir in peppers. Cool completely. Top cream cheese with half of the mixture. Reserve other half to pour over cream cheese as the topping is consumed.

 

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