Hors d'oeuvre ideas for wine/cheese party

[zhooker]

A friend whom I often eat/chat food with is throwing a wine/cheese party soon. There will be a variety of wines, no central varietal or taste/flavor thread. I would like to bring an hors d'oeuvre, something elegant that will travel well and compliment wine/cheese in general. Could be sweet, savory, cold, hot -- I am open to anything so long as you can sell me on the portability and impressiveness/wow factor it can impart.

THANKS SO MUCH FOR ANNNNYYYYY RECS!!!

[superfinespot]

candied rosemary walnuts or cashews
raspberry blondies
coconut cupcakes
mini tarts filled with homemade lemon curd and fresh blackberries, candied ginger
phyllo cups, chocolate mousse, berries (assemble when you get there)
yogurt cake with raspberry coulis
rocky ledge bars (martha stewart) : p

[Val]

A variety of good quality olives would be pretty and tasty with the wines and cheeses...easy to do also!

[Phurstluv]

This recipe is one of my go tos for a wine & cheese party my Church does every fall, and it has become everyone's favorite. Very easy and can be made ahead. Delicious with a manchego.

SHALLOT-CHERRY CONFIT

Makes 1½ cups

2 tbsp. unsalted butter
8 oz. shallots, trimmed and quartered
1 medium onion, cut into 8 wedges
½ cup dried cherries, coarsely chopped
3 sprigs fresh thyme
3 tbsp. sugar
¼ cup sherry vinegar
Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper

1. Melt butter in a medium saucepan over medium-low heat. Add shallots, onion, cherries and thyme. Cover, and cook until shallots and onion are soft and beginning to caramelize, 12 to 14 minutes. Stir in sugar. Continue to cook, covered, until shallots and onion are caramelized, 10 to 12 minutes.

2. Add vinegar and ¼ cup warm water. Cook, uncovered, stirring occasionally, until the liquid has evaporated and mixture is deep brown, about 1 hour. Season with salt and pepper. Serve at room temperature. Confit can be refrigerated in an airtight container, up to 1 week.

[fourunder]

Grilled Prosciutto wrapped figs with pecans or walnuts, Gorgonzola, Blue. or Marscapone Cheese...accented with honey

[juli5122]

I would bring something to accent the cheeses such as a date or walnut bread or maybe some homemade crackers or fig jam in a cool bowl etc.

[katecm]

Chocolate covered grapes. Super portable. Totally unexpected. People may think they're going to be truffles, and then are shocked when they get a delicious burst of grape. Relentlessly delicious. You can be really crazy and sprinkle with salt or cayenne, but leaving them plain is excellent, too.

http://projects.washingtonpost.com/re...

[chowser]

Basic, same old, same old but can make a pretty presentation:

bacon/dates
prosciutto/melon
shrimp wrapped in bacon w/ jalapeno and brown sugar
candied bacon
bruschetta
fruit plate

A little more:
tomato tart (or tartlets)
chorizon filled dates(http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/foo...
)crostini with figs and prosciutto

[mamachef]

Ummmm.......it occurs to me that the cheeses are the hors d'oeuvre? Are you positive she wants people bringing other foods?
Just curious. If you're certain she does, though, why not keep in the cheese theme? You could do a Cantal or Comte cheese tarte with carmelized onions, or make a classic swiss fondue, refrigerate it and then re-melt at her home in the fondue pot/chafing dish, serving up with vegetable and breadstick dippers, neither of which should interfere with any wine - as long as those dippers aren't artichokes, or asparagus.