Good Eats at the TEOTWAWKI Café--Homemade Boursin

A couple of decades ago a good friend brought a beautiful sandwich to our potluck picnic that has since become a family favorite requested for birthdays and other celebrations and anytime else the kids can persuade me.  The bread was a hollowed out sourdough round filled with layers of cheese, lunchmeats, grilled peppers, lettuce, tomatoes, and sautéed onions and mushrooms.  And smeared all over the inside surface of the bread was a layer of Boursin.  Boursin that was rather expensive back then and now approaches $8.00 for something like four ounces.  Boursin that the kids love to spread like butter on toast.  Boursin that my husband likes to spread on crackers and baguettes.  Like it grows on trees or something. 

Once in a while I’ll get lucky and find it short-dated at Grocery Outlet for substantially less, but at this point in time our closest Grocery Outlet store is over one hundred miles away.  Needless to say, I don’t get there very often anymore. 

I finally decided to see if I could find a copycat recipe and was thrilled to be successful in this quest.  The following recipe makes a whole lot more than the little Boursin packages sold in stores, but that never seems to be a problem.  And while even cream cheese is getting to be expensive now, this recipe works really well with cream cheese made at home from homemade yogurt.  Even the Queen and King of the Picky Eaters scarfed it right down without batting an eye.

Homemade Boursin

2 cloves garlic

1 cup butter, softened

2 cups cream cheese, softened

1⁄2 teaspoon salt

1⁄2 teaspoon chopped fresh basil

1⁄2 teaspoon marjoram, fresh or dried

1⁄2 teaspoon chopped fresh chives

1⁄4 teaspoon thyme, fresh or dried

1⁄2 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper

1 teaspoon dill weed

For best flavor, use fresh herbs where possible.  For reality in the future, use what you have.

Combine all ingredients in a blender or food processor and process until smooth.  Scoop mixture into a small serving bowl, cover, and chill overnight.

Family reviews:  We basically love this stuff.

However, Boursin may not be your thing.  And that’s ok.  What’s important is that you take the time now to find copycat recipes for some of your family’s favorite foods, try them out, and tweak them as necessary so that you can offer treats and boost morale when times become more challenging.

Links to related posts:

Homemade Cream Cheese

Three Perfect Ingredients—Real Sourdough Bread