Amuse-bouches, hors d'oeuvres & appetizers, oh my! You don’t need a lot of time or creative flare to pull together an elegant spread of party-worthy bites. Take a look at our favorite ways to kick off the festivities without breaking a sweat.GrissiniYou often find these crisp Italian breadsticks dressing up the tables in restaurants across Italy, but here Grissini gets a lot of curious looks for its long shape. Rolled with fennel, green olives and olive oil, our Grissini has wonderful flavor on its own, but we love to wrap it with thinly sliced prosciutto just like they do in Italy.Sardinian FlatbreadThe Seeded Sardinian Flatbread is the newest addition to our flatbread selection. Each piece is adorned with toasted sesame, poppy and fennel seeds, adding extra color, texture and flavor to your holiday table. Top with a savory jam and favorite cheese, serve with charcuterie or break them apart and dip in one of our housemade spreads.Crostini

Like the Sardinian Flatbread, our Crostini is a delicious blank slate. We have Crostini available in different flavors, but this time of year we reach for our Cranberry Apricot Nut Crostini. Mingling the flavors of dried fruit, toasted nuts and a hint of clove, this Crostini is a nice balance of sweet and savory. Pair it with our Potted Cheese or top with creamy fromage blanc and a drizzle of honey for a perfect party appetizer.Francese CrostiniFor those who don’t mind spending a little extra time in the kitchen, you can whip up a full-flavor Francese Crostini in a snap! Simply toast a sliced loaf of Pane Francese, spread it with our Fig & Olive Tapenade and then top it all off with some toasted pine nuts for a crowd-pleasing snack everyone will think you spent hours on.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a6TW-iireU8&feature=youtu.beSince we're all spending more time outside soaking up this gorgeous weather, we thought you would enjoy seeing what Leslie has on the grill this summer. This rustic yet elegant Francese Crostini appetizer using our Pane Francese bread toasted right on the grill and topped with fresh, local ingredients is hard to beat. You can make the Fig & Olive Tapenade at home using the recipe below, but we also sell this delicious spread in our cafés. Check out the video to learn about Leslie's inspiration for this recipe and stop by for a freshly baked loaf of Pane Francese for your next dinner party!Francese CrostiniClick here to print this recipe!IngredientsFor the tapenade:1 cup dried Black Mission figs (about 18), trimmed and quartered1 1/2 cups water2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar2 cups pitted Kalamata olives, rinsed1 tablespoon capers1 tablespoon Dijon mustard2 medium cloves garlic1 1/2 teaspoons chopped fresh rosemary1 1/2 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme3/4 cup extravirgin olive oil, dividedFor the crostini:*1 loaf Pane Francese2 fresh Black Mission figs, trimmed and sliced lengthwise into 12 pieces2 tablespoons chopped Marcona almonds1 tablespoon chopped fresh oregano**4 ounces of Camembert, Brie or Cambozola, sliced into 12 pieces*Available in our cafés.** Leslie uses Dinah’s Cheese from Kurtwood Farms.Makes 12 servings1. In a medium saucepan over medium heat, bring the dried figs, water and balsamic vinegar to a simmer and cook until the figs are soft and the liquid has reduced to about 2 tablespoons, about 20 minutes. Cool for 10 minutes.2. Pour the warm figs and cooking liquid into the bowl of a food processor or a blender. Pulse several times to break down the figs; scrape the bowl and purée to a smooth texture. Add the olives, capers, mustard, garlic, rosemary, thyme and 1/4 cup of olive oil. Pulse the mixture until it is spreadable and has a uniform texture. With the machine running, add another 1/4 cup olive oil in a slow stream until the mixture is smooth and easy to spread.3. Reserve 1 cup of tapenade for the crostini. The remainder can be stored in the refrigerator for up to one week for future use.4. Slice the bread lengthwise and brush each cut side with the remaining olive oil. Toast the bread cut side down on a grill until golden brown. Alternatively, the loaf can be toasted cut side up in the broiler until golden brown.5. Divide the reserved tapenade in half and spread evenly on each side of the loaf. Layer each side with 6 slices of cheese and 6 slices of fig, evenly spaced. Sprinkle both sides with almonds and oregano.6. Slice each length of bread into six pieces, making 12 pieces total. Enjoy!