You know how I go on and on sometimes about how our internet friendships feel real and true and long-lasting?
It’s because they’re years in the making, isn’t it? Blog personalities are slow to reveal, and if you stick with them, you tend to get a feeling for that person who’s writing, commenting. You begin to care for them like distant relatives. You see them through moves, breakups, loss, marriages, changes in career, travel, babies.
One of these long-distance internet loves, for me, is Jessica of HowSweetEats.com.
I started reading How Sweet Eats in 2010, and let me tell you, it has been worthwhile every year. Every day. I’ve come to love her in so many ways, but most of all, because she’s kind and loving and funny and dramatic and as humble and self-deprecating as the day is long. Because I get a feeling that she’s my people. I just have that sense about her.
When I think about people who love food, purely and wholeheartedly, I think of Jessica Merchant. When I think of people who really know how to waltz up to pleasure and take a big bite out of it, I’m only thinking of Jessica. I love the hedonist in her. The part of her that openly admits to hating vegetables, but continues to try to love them.
She’s relentless. The vibrancy, the unabashed fire she has for food — it’s contagious. It makes you want to cook, even if you don’t do that already. It makes you want to eat, even if you’ve already just done that. It makes you want to have a party.
She has this unique way of reminding me that no matter what’s going on around me, no matter how bleak the day, or week, there’s always the fun and sheer joy of putting on a good meal. There’s always something new and bright, some new flavor duo worth playing with. She makes me excited to cook — for myself and my own. She turns me on to food, and that’s enough.
This cookbook of hers, needless to say, is outstanding. Everything I’d expect from someone I admire this much. The recipes are unique enough to excite, but familiar enough to comfort you. Her writing is funny, sweet, and utterly genuine. She’s like your best friend, only she’s someone else’s best friend and she lives in another state.
The first recipe I made from the book is the Spiced Autumn Crostini because it’s just the thing I want to push me into fall. Just reading the recipe was delicious: a warm and comforting pumpkin and mascarpone mixture spread on toasted baguette with fried sage and chopped hazelnuts. Fried sage! That’s all it took.
There are hints of fall in every single bite. The pumpkin and nutmeg give the crostini spread some sweetness, but don’t overpower; there are still those savory notes of buttery sage and mascarpone. The flavors don’t just work, they WORK. They’re rightly balanced in the way that you find a meal at a good restaurant. I loved so much that I’ll serve them all season — until everyone I know and love hates me and my food.
Spiced Autumn Crostini
Ingredients
- 1 whole-grain baguette sliced into rounds
- 4 ounces mascarpone cheese
- 2 tablespoons pumpkin puree
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1/4 cup hazelnuts *I used pecans
- 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
- 10 fresh sage leaves
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Place the sliced baguette rounds on a baking sheet. Bake the bread for 10 minutes, then flip the toasts over and bake for 5 minutes more. Remove the sheet from the oven.
- While the bread is toasting, combine the mascarpone, pumpkin, salt, pepper, and nutmeg in a bowl and stir together until smooth.
- Add the hazelnuts to a small skillet and heat them over medium-low heat. Toast the hazelnuts until golden and fragrant, 3 to 5 minutes, occasionally shaking the pan or stirring the nuts so they don't burn. Remove the pan from the heat immediately and place the nuts in a bowl. Once the hazelnuts have cooled, coarsely chop them.
- Wipe out the same skillet with a paper towel and heat it over medium-low heat. Add the butter and, once it's melted, add the sage leaves. Cook the sage leaves until golden and crispy, flipping after 30 seconds. Transfer the leaves to a paper towel to cool slightly.
- To assemble the crostini, spread the pumpkin-mascarpone mixture over the toasts. Cover each toast with a sprinkling of the chopped hazelnuts. Crumble the fried sage between your fingers and sprinkle it over the toasts.
Notes
Nutrition
For the record, I also made Jessica’s Brown Butter Banana Bread and adored it. I’m working my way through this cookbook and everything is just as the title says, Seriously Delish.
Order Jessica’s book on Amazon here!
Get it on Barnes & Noble
Or on Indiebound here.
xoxo
you!!! i have no words. THANK YOU!!! xoxo
I totally agree. Her book is amazing. her blog is amazing. I made the BBQ Chicken pizza….that should be next on your list, it was fantastic!
can’t wait for yours!
hugs.
BBQ chicken pizza is next, Sarah! xo
Couldn’t have said it better! Jessica is amazing and her blog and cookbook blows me away!
My favorite part of Jessica’s blog is the crumbs section :) I haven’t cooked anything of her except her fig yogurt granola which was totally amazing and on repeat with me and my friends as long as the fig trees in our yards were producing this summer. Can’t wait til next yr :) I will admit that Andie, you help me get back into cooking bc for some reason I usually have all of your ingredients on hand. I cook less of Jessica’s things bc I am not into reading a recipe and gathering special ingredients but you are right, she makes me want to :)
Everything she makes is a flavor explosion. I need to try that fig yogurt granola! But more importantly, I’m so envious that you have A FIG TREE!
xoxo
There are three fig trees on my road and almost everyone I know in my town has one but you have to move fast before the birds eat em all :) I have a pear tree too that’s where it’s at right now….pears cooked in butter, brown sugar, and cinnamon!
Uhhh yum! It’s not going into Autumn down under, but thankfully Pumpkin is always readily available.
Haha Katie, I hope that you make them and everyone around you says, “You know we’re heading into summer right?”
I’d make ’em too :)
Andie,
you are my favorite internet blogger. Everytime I read your e-mail, I feel closer to you.
You rock. Thank you.
Sue! YOU rock. This comment made my day. Thank you, friend!! <3
I love Jessica’s blog and cookbook, too! And not to sound too creepy but since I’ve been reading your blog, I feel like I know you, too :)
You do! We’ve been in touch for years now!
I’m loving Jessica’s book! So beautiful, and these crostini look so amazing! May have to be the next thing I make :)
You need to write a cookbook, Rachel!!
1. That is just how I feel about you :) You’re my first favorite food blog and my bloggy idol :)
2. I so need this book. Holy wow those autumn crostini are SPOT ON. Must make. Must buy. Must do.
LOVE you, Ashley! THANK YOU
FRIED SAGE!?! Oh my….
Her lobster pot pies are on our list this week. Mike is dying to try the potato chip chocolate chip cookies. She’s a culinary queen for sure.
As always, your photos are beautiful! I’m going to stop drooling and get back to work!
Oh my gosh, I know — those lobster pot pies are a dream!
Can the recipe be made without nuts and still be yummy? My son is allergic to peanuts and nuts.
Absolutely! I don’t think you’d miss a thing, taste-wise, without the nuts!
You’re so right, though I’ve been content to read most the blogs I follow I’ve taken to commenting because… one of my FAVORITE do it yourself home bloggers is throwing in the towel :( I’m so sad, have followed them for 9 years… originally it was just one person, then a family, then a house and a goal and a baby, and holy cow… now it’s just over. I shouldn’t feel like I’m being robbed, so to combat that feeling I’m going to try to be more active and let the people who I still follow know I’m here! To that extent, I’m going to make these for my next party this coming weekend! They look GREAT for fall.
LOVE this book and LOVE Jessica. You’re both awesome!!!
this crostini looks amazing, and perfect for a cool football sunday! i have been a long time reader of Jessica’s blog…I really need to get her book!
Wow, the Spiced Autumn Crostini looks amazing! Will defo try this. Thank you for the recipe :)
Wow! This looks so appetising. Thanks for the recipe! The pictures are so wonderful … if I could eat them I would. I hope I can follow the recipe to make it look good and taste good as well. By the way can this be done on a turbo broiler instead of an oven?
What a lovely book!! Looks Sooo good! YUMMY!! …also this recipe you’ve made looks so delicious and perfect for fall! YUM!
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Hey Andie,
Took these to a volunteer event and they were a hit! Absolutely fabulous! thanks!xoxox