Victorian Cameo Cheese Olive (Printable Version)

Creamy cheese topped with black olive tapenade, garnished with herbs for a refined starter.

# Ingredient List:

→ Cheese

01 - 7 oz fresh goat cheese (chèvre) or cream cheese

→ Tapenade

02 - 2.8 oz black olive tapenade (store-bought or homemade)

→ Garnish & Base

03 - 4 slices rustic baguette or gluten-free crackers (optional)
04 - Fresh thyme or chives, finely chopped, for garnish
05 - Extra virgin olive oil, for drizzling

# Directions:

01 - Scoop or shape the cheese into four thick oval medallions about 0.8 inches thick and place each on a serving plate or on a slice of bread or cracker if using.
02 - Using the back of a spoon or small spatula, spread a thin layer of black olive tapenade onto each cheese oval, creating a cameo or silhouette effect; optionally, use a stencil or freehand a decorative shape.
03 - Drizzle olive oil around each cheese cameo and sprinkle generously with fresh herbs.
04 - Serve immediately, accompanied by extra bread or crackers if desired.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • It takes fifteen minutes but looks like you spent the afternoon fussing over it.
  • The creamy cheese melting against that briny tapenade hits a savory note that makes people pause mid-conversation.
  • It's naturally vegetarian and gluten-free, so you're not juggling dietary accommodations—just serving beautiful food everyone can enjoy.
02 -
  • The cheese needs to be cold and firm enough to hold its shape, so don't pull it straight from a warm kitchen—chill it for at least 15 minutes before shaping.
  • If your tapenade is too thin or oily, it will slide right off the cheese; make sure it's paste-thick, and if you're making it yourself, don't over-blend it into a slurry.
  • The beauty of this dish is in the contrast between creamy and briny, so don't be shy with the tapenade—a thin, timid layer loses the whole effect.
03 -
  • Warm cheese is sloppy cheese—keep everything cold until the moment you plate, and your shapes will stay clean and dignified.
  • The tapenade should taste bold and salty on its own; it's easy to go too light and end up with something that just tastes like plain cheese.
Go Back