This recipe is a part of our Community Cookbook series. We tapped seven members from our community to bring you simple, crowd-pleasing dishes to inspire you this holiday season. The best part? Each dish pairs perfectly with a glass of Avaline.

Meet Grace:

Grace van Velden is a friend of ours and she happens to be an incredible cook. She focuses on fresh, whole foods—leaning into herbs and spices to make simple ingredients as vibrant as possible. We love her roasted feta recipe for the way it marries so many different flavors and textures. It pairs well with Avaline White, but Chardonnay and Sparkling would work well, too. Check out more of her beautiful meals on Instagram @togroak.

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Q & A:

Tell us a little bit about yourself & why you love to cook.

I grew up between South Africa and the States, so cooking was a way to feel connected to family and our histories even though I was always far apart from someone that I loved. Later in life, cooking is still my place of memory and a way to find myself in times of joy and of heartache.

What’s your favorite thing about sharing food & wine with friends?

When we sit down to a full table, in a well-worn pair of chairs, or on a dewy blanket, we're setting off to possibility. I love the way stories weave through and alongside food, the sound of clinking glasses, a growing laughter, and contentment in shared silences.

Why do you think your recipe pairs so well with Avaline?

The tangy salt and sweet bite of honeyed feta and thyme feels decadent, but is ultimately very simple. That's the heart of good cooking—to use ingredients you love, to make simple food well, and to go forth without fuss. For me, Avaline embodies that.

A note from Grace:

This simple and intuitive recipe is nearly not a recipe at all. Feta is a favorite cheese in my house. It pairs with sweet ingredients, like the honey here, and with savory like roasted baby tomatoes, olives, delicata squash, and whatever you might have on hand.

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Directions:

Gather your ingredients and preheat the oven to 400ºf. If you'd like to plate the feta, find an oven safe dish and line it with a square of parchment paper. You can skip the parchment if you plan to garnish and serve straight away.

You'll want the feta to be roughly an inch or so thick. If larger, cut the block carefully so as not to break apart this crumbly cheese. Lightly coat the bottom of the dish or parchment and the entire feta block with olive oil. Pepper to taste and sprinkle with fresh thyme. Pop in the oven for no more than ten minutes. I tend to check on the feta around six minutes and every minute after. It should be soft but not catching. 

While the feta is baking, warm the honey on the stove on low heat for a minute or until it becomes runny. Remove the feta from the oven and drizzle the honey over the block. Set the oven to broil and put the feta back in for about five minutes. Check in on it every minute or so. broil until you see the edges starting to become golden. While the feta broils you can toast the pine nuts on the stove top for a minute or two, shaking frequently.

Remove from the oven and immediately top with toasted pine nuts and fresh thyme. (If you're plating, transfer the feta before adding toppings). Drizzle with extra honey if you're in a sweet kind of mood. Serve with your favorite bread, crackers, or roasted vegetables. We like to tear into a warm baguette. :)

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