Being able to taste and experience different sides of life, even those that are of a more earthy or gritty nature, gives our existence a more well-rounded flavor. And when it comes to food, nothing says “earthy” better than savory Garlic Mushroom Toast topped generously with Herbed Ricotta Spread.
Life comes at us quick.
Childhood goes by in the blink of an eye, and we are thrust into young adulthood, and then just plain-old adulthood, where we will remain for the rest of our lives, and where we take on responsibility for what seems, at times, like the whole world.
And if we become parents, we watch our children grow up entirely too fast, and we’re left, ultimately, with only our memories of how their baby bodies were so soft and squishy in our arms when we picked them up and held them; or of how they used to ask for the same bedtime story to be read over and over again; or of the times that knees were deeply skinned from falling off the bike; or how we finally left them at home by themselves for the first time in their early teens, when they no longer wanted to be seen in public with mom and dad.
There’s a real earthiness, a deep, beautiful grittiness to life, isn’t there?
It’s both amazingly sweet and miraculous, yet also painful and a touch bitter, at times.
And I find that it’s in between those two contrasting spaces where the most flavor is found, the most intense emotion, and the most amazing opportunity for experiencing and tasting both sides of things.
I find a lot of earthy flavor, a lot of rich, dark, savoriness, in the transitional times of life.
Like aromatic garlic mushrooms seared off and sauteed with a touch of white wine, and then carefully yet generously spooned over top of toast slathered in a creamy herbed ricotta spread, the times of life when we move from one place (or one role) into another, are intensely deep.
They stick with us, feed us, inform us, fill us, and allow us to grow stronger.
And if we choose to walk through them with our eyes wide open, looking for ways to grow and to be made more complex by them, then those times end up shaping and changing us in beautiful ways, ways that only add to our wholeness and our experience.
With our son having just graduated from high school, and having turned 18 just the day before, my husband and I are experiencing some of the earthy flavor of life in our transition from hands-on parents, to what’s about to become more hands-off.
And it’s surreal, to be completely honest.
For anyone who’s already gone through this parental rite-of-passage when you hand your baby over to world, you know what it’s like.
On the one hand, we’re thrilled and very excited at what life will bring for our boy, in the experiences and in the opportunities for growth and for learning about himself; but on the other hand, we’ll terribly miss the closeness, the innocence, and the opportunity to protect him.
But we both know that it’s going to be his turn now to go out into the world, out into life, and explore his possibilities and find out about himself and his Creator.
So my hope is for as much deliciousness as possible along the way, for any of us going through transitional times; for openness in tasting the deep, earthy flavors that life brings to us, every now and again; and for courage and strength to walk into unknown territory and find God in it, in the challenge of it, and to be comfortable and at peace with the amazing and earthy flavor of what we encounter.
Taste what’s good and pass it on.
Ingrid
Buttery Garlic Mushroom Toast with Herbed Ricotta Spread
by Ingrid Beer
Print RecipeYield: Makes about 6 toasts
Ingredients:
• 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 2 (8 ounce) packages sliced crimini mushrooms
• ¼ cup white wine
• 4 cloves garlic, pressed through garlic press, plus 1 whole clove, peeled, divided use
• 2 teaspoons thyme leaves
• Salt
• Black pepper
• 6 slices of your favorite rustic-style bread
• Herbed Ricotta Spread (recipe below)
• Thyme leaves, for garnish
Preparation:
-Place a cast iron or other heavy bottom skillet or pan over medium-high heat; add in the butter, and once it has melted, add in the mushrooms and saute for about 7-8 minutes, until they become a deep golden-brown, and begin to caramelize. (They will, at first, release a good bit of liquid; but then it evaporates, and the mushrooms become almost sticky, and caramelize.)
-Add in the wine, and once it has reduced (after about 30 seconds), add in the 4 cloves of pressed garlic and the thyme, and stir those in to incorporate; once the garlic becomes aromatic, add in a couple of pinches of salt and pepper; set aside and keep warm.
-Toast your slices of bread, and then rub the remaining whole clove of garlic over each slice.
-Spread the Herbed Ricotta Spread generously over each slice of the garlicky toast, then spoon generous amounts of the sauteed mushrooms onto each piece; garnish with a little addition thyme, and enjoy.
Herbed Ricotta Spread Ingredients:
• ½ cup whole milk ricotta cheese
• ½ cup whipped cream cheese
• ¼ cup grated parmesan cheese
• 1 tablespoon minced chives
• 1 tablespoon chopped flat-leaf parsley
• 1 teaspoon thyme leaves, minced
• Pinch salt
• Pinch black pepper
Preparation:
-Add all of the ingredients into a medium-size bowl, and using a spatula, blend everything together until smooth and completely combined; use immediately, or keep in a covered container in fridge until ready to serve.
Oh my, why did I decide to click on to your apple spice cake recipe on Pinterest and then find myself here looking at these utterly delectable mushrooms!!!?? I’m having a fasting day – I am NOT SUPPOSED to be thinking about food!!! And then there’s your beautiful words about the grittiness of life, and the bittersweet pain and joy of watching your children grow up…and of growing up (old!) yourself. Don’t know whether to howl now or later! Love your blog. So glad I found it. Thank you.
Hi Sarah, so glad you found it, too! Thank you for your lovely comments. You’ll have to try both the cake and these toasts once you finish your fast—good luck with it!
In your recipe you call for 4 cloves of garlic and then one whole clove….did you mean bulb? Recipe sounds delightful along with your other recipes. Thank you for sharing.
Hi NP, thanks for your question, as it gives me a chance to clarify for folks. It’s basically a total of 5 cloves of garlic— 4 of them are pressed through the garlic press (to be sautéed with the mushrooms) and 1 is left whole (just peeled), for use of rubbing it on the toasts. Hopefully that clarifies, and that you enjoy the recipe! Thanks for stopping by…
This looks amazing, can’t wait to try it!
We have friends coming in tonight for dinner out. This might be the perfect little bite of something w a glass of wine while we catch up. That might take the hunger edge off as they will be in a “new kitchen” meeting for a few hours before they head up!
Hi Paulette, this is a perfect recipe for such an occasion! Truly hope you give it a try- I think you and your guests will enjoy this little pre-dinner treat served with wine. Hope you have a great time!
I made this last night and it was so delicious. Everyone loved it, perfect appetizer. Thanks for the recipe.
Hi Reba, I’m so happy to read that! So glad they were enjoyed, and I thank you for taking a moment to comment!
Hi! I have a questions. First of all, I’m so excited to make this!
You serve the ricotta mixture cold, correct? I’m entertaining the idea of what it would taste like warm? I love warm cheese, especially with some herbs on toast.
What are your thoughts?
Hi Kylee, I’m with you on loving some warm, spreadable cheese; my only concern with the ricotta is that once it’s warmed, it may “weep”, or ooze moisture. If only warmed gently, may not be too bad, just keep that in mind. Also, remember that the sautéed mushrooms will still be warm, so they will sort of “warm up” the ricotta spread, as well. Hope you enjoy!
This is a keeper! I had mushrooms I wanted to use and extra ricota-what luck! Found it very easy to pull together and my husband raved about it. Thank you!
Hi Cat! I, too, love it when I have all the ingredients on hand to whip up a really tasty recipe—such a bonus!
So glad you found this, and that both you and your hubby enjoyed it so much.
Sometimes something as simple as garlic-y mushrooms on toast are the perfect, most satisfying thing. Happy cooking!
Thank you