This is a sponsored post in partnership with our friends at Pints and Plates. All words and opinions are our own. Thank you for supporting the brands that help us do what we do!
I blinked and suddenly it’s November again. We got lucky this year in Seattle: a warm and sunny October, with relatively little rain. The holidays are always our busiest time of year as a business and as a family. It’s hard to find opportunities to slow down and gather around the table, or the kitchen counter, as we often do.
Holiday entertaining can often feel more stressful than it’s worth, but the last few years of being a parent have taught me that you shouldn’t let perfect be the enemy of good. So I pick and choose where I spend my time. I love baking, so I usually give in to making something sweet from scratch, but my new favorite thing has become assembling rather than cooking small bites and appetizers. I’m all about the easy charcuterie plate (made seasonal by swapping in preserves, grapes, and “fancy” crackers), and anything that can be threaded onto a skewer.
These prosciutto, honeydew, and cantaloupe skewers remind me of my favorite Italian appetizer — traditionally, pieces of cantaloupe are wrapped in hearty slices of dry-cured ham. This recipe, from Pints and Plates is a festive and party-friendly take on that classic. If you don’t have a melon baller, it’s a cheap investment that (IMHO) will lend itself to many party-friendly dishes. This recipe takes less than 15 minutes to make, start-to-finish. And if you don’t already have aged balsamic vinegar, you can make a quick reduction on the stovetop. These skewers pair beautifully with Leinenkugel’s Grapefruit Shandy, which brings out the flavors of the melon and is a nice complement to the saltiness of the prosciutto (not to mention, a refreshing beer that I can definitely hang with). You don’t need much other than good company for this gathering.
Prosciutto Skewers
recipe from Pints and Plates
20 honeydew balls
20 cantaloupe balls
20 slices prosciutto, roughly torn
20 small bamboo skewers
2 tablespoons of aged balsamic vinegar (or 1/4 cup of balsamic vinegar simmered over medium-low until reduced by half, and slightly thickened)
Thread each skewer with a cantaloupe ball followed by a half slice of prosciutto, then a honeydew ball, another half slice of prosciutto, followed by another cantaloupe ball. Place on a serving platter and drizzle with balsamic vinegar. For a larger party, double or triple this recipe, or make bigger skewers for a mealtime appetizer.
This is a sponsored post in partnership with our friends at Pints and Plates. All words and opinions are our own. Thank you for supporting the brands that help us do what we do!
