Ingredients
- 12 Medjool dates
- 1/4 pound Point Reyes Original Blue
- 1 tablespoon dried rosemary
- 1/4 teaspoon dried lavender buds
- Freshly cracked black pepper, to taste
Instructions
Yield: one dozen
Slice each date lengthwise and pinch the ends with your thumb and forefinger to slightly open it up. Remove the pit and discard. With a mortar and pestle, gently crush the rosemary and lavender until finely ground.
In a medium glass bowl, whip the cheese to a soft consistency with a spoon or fork. Using a teaspoon, scoop some of the cheese and gently press it into the pitted date, smoothing the edges of the cheese for a nice presentation (slightly damp fingers make easy work of this).
Gently press the date together, but don’t close completely around the cheese. Use the back of a fork to make a decorative pattern on the cheese, if desired. Repeat with the remaining dates.
Place the dates in a parchment-lined, airtight box and sprinkle each with a small pinch of the crushed herbs and some freshly cracked black pepper (to your liking).
Wrap with a bow and add a small note to keep refrigerated until ready to enjoy. These are best left out at room temperature for 15—20 minutes before serving.