Joe and I honeymooned in France last year.  Each day, we walked for miles, sightseeing, immersing ourselves in the French culture, eating lots of baguettes, croissants, terrines, cheese, sipping espresso and wine.  In Paris one evening, we strolled past the Luxembourg Gardens and into the Latin Quarter, for dinner at a little place called Les Papilles.  The restaurant was tiny, quirky, and bustling.  The menu changed daily, and our only option was a four course meal of whatever they were serving that day.

Thankfully, neither of us are picky eaters, so we happily settled in for the first two courses – a hearty asparagus soup, and a provincial-style lamb dish.  To our surprise, for our third course, the waiter brought out a plate of blue cheese, drizzled with a fig sauce.  Not only were we surprised to see a post-main-course cheese dish (which I now know is typical in France), but blue cheese, by itself?  Not used as a dressing for wings, or crumbled on a burger, but the featured ingredient?  We dug in, and to our surprise, the combination was divine.  The pungent blue cheese was perfectly tempered by the sweet fig sauce, producing a sweet, savory, delicious treat – not quite a main dish, not quite a dessert, but just right.

These appetizers were, of course, inspired by that wonderful Parisian meal, and are a snap to throw together. The bacon adds a savory, crunchy element – though the toasts are just as delicious meatless.  You can find the fig spread at most grocery stores, most likely near the cheese section.

Fig, Stilton, and Bacon Toasts

• 1 block of Stilton blue cheese
• French baguette, sliced into 1/3 inch toasts
• Fig spread
• few strips of bacon

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.  In a skillet, cook the bacon until crispy.  Allow to cool on paper towels, then crumble into small pieces.  Place baguette slices on a baking sheet, and toast in the oven for 2-3 minutes, until slightly crispy.  Remove from oven, and spread the fig jam onto toasts.  Top with a 1-inch piece of blue cheese, then with the crumbled bacon.  Serve and enjoy.