Meet my favorite hors d’oeuvre of all time, the cheese ball. An elegant take on the traditional sphere of fromage, plucked from the pages of a 1970s cookbook (perhaps Junior League or maybe a Southern Living volume) of my mother’s. She has been making this to mark holidays and any celebratory event since before I was born and when I reminisce on a soirée, I can almost taste the Roquefort. The best part is that it is such a simple recipe and a certified crowd pleaser.

Decadent blue cheese and sharp cheddar mingle with onion and garlic inside while a parsley dusted and pecan encrusted exterior lends a lovely flair. Trust me, this version is a far cry from the sad orange-tinged varieties in your grocer’s deli case. I usually make two, one to serve and one to freeze (without the parsley and pecans!), as to always have one on hand for unexpected company or an insatiable craving. It is best served with Pepperidge Farm butterfly crackers with baguette and sourdough crackers also being worthy vessels.

I hope you’ll enjoy adding this indulgent cheese ball to your appetizer repertoire, you’ll have to let me know how you like it!

Cheese Ball

• 8 oz sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
• 8 oz cream cheese (regular, not whipped)
• 4 oz Roquefort or blue cheese, crumbled
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 2 teaspoons white onion, grated
• 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
• 1 cup finely minced parsley
• 1 cup chopped pecans

Thoroughly mix all ingredients except parsley and pecans. Combine parsley and pecans and blend half of them into the cheese mixture. Spread remaining parsley mixture on a sheet of waxed paper or cutting board. Form cheese into a ball and roll it in parsley mixture until well coated. Chill before serving. May be made a couple of days ahead of time. Freezes beautifully!

Pictured: and . Cocktail napkins are from D. Porthault.