English Snow Pea and Gorgonzola Bruschetta

Yesterday was my first official day of summer vacation and although I was able to check off a couple of things on my to-do list, I still felt unaccomplished and dissatisfied with my day.

I was bored… flitted around the apartment trying to put away this and that to get ready for the move but didn’t really get anything done. What the heck? I thought I was so done with work and so ready for a break… but I already miss my students and miss waking up knowing exactly what I need to do: go to work and teach.

This won’t last very long because I will start teaching summer school next week and will be doing that for 6 weeks! YIKES! Then the complaining will start... and when it does, I just have to remind myself that I will only be working from Monday to Thursday and therefore, still get 3-day weekends the whole time summer school is going. Not too bad, right?

So that’s the big summer for me… in the midst of all this summer school teaching, there’s other things that need to be done. Move to a new apartment by the end of this month… Go on tons of bike rides… Go on camping trips somewhere, anywhere… Visit the Olympic Peninsula… Go to Seattle… or Portland... and climb Mt. St. Helens!

On to food matters... Here’s a delicious appetizer to kick off the summer.

The combination of the flavored sweet peas with the pungent Gorgonzola cheese is just wonderful on top of good sourdough bread. Very simple but definitely a pleaser!      

English Snow Pea and Gorgonzola Bruschetta

2 handfuls English snow peas

1 tsp olive oil
freshly squeezed lemon juice from a lemon wedge
¼ tsp smoked paprika
salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

good sourdough bread, sliced
Gorgonzola cheese


Steam the snow peas in a steamer until peas become plump. Let cool.

Using a sharp knife, shell the peas by make an incision to cut the outer lining on one side of the shell. Tear the shell open and drop the peas in a bowl. 

Mash the peas and add olive oil, lemon juice, paprika, salt, and pepper.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Dot the sourdough slices with Gorgonzola cheese crumbles and then place a big helping of the snow peas. (If you like more Gorgonzola cheese flavor use more if not, use less.)  

Toast in the oven for a few minutes just until the cheese starts melting, 3-5 minutes.

Serve the bruschetta warm (with a nice, cold Rosé on the side). 

P.S. Today is DFJ’s birthday... we are off to celebrate his special day some more. I cannot say enough how lucky I am to love and be loved by a sweet, smart, kind, helpful, patient, and very understanding man. Happy Birthday, D! Let’s make this a good one!