Roasted Cashews with Rosemary and Sea Salt

Roasted Cashews with Rosemary and Sea Salt: Rustic but elegant.

On our last trip to Paris I was famished by the time we checked into our Latin Quarter hotel and quickly demolished a jar of cashews with rosemary I found in the mini-bar.

The taste will forever remind me of that sunny, breezy Thursday afternoon in May, the perfect kind of day to arrive in Paris.



We've arrived four times by plane and twice by train, in bright sunshine, gray skies, stifling humidity and pouring rain. But it is always a thrill. What discoveries lie ahead?

It was out first stay in the heart of the Latin Quarter. I feel most at home in the Marais, but we wanted to try life on the teeming edge of the Sorbonne, only a block from the fabled "Boul Mich." It was a wonderful visit, full of new discoveries that we are eager to revisit - maybe next year.

Roasted Cashews with Rosemary and Sea Salt is easy to make, and the perfect dish to serve at a cocktail party that calls for somewhat sophisticated (but inexpensive) fare.

Here's how to make them:

• 2 cups salt-free whole cashews
• 1 to 1 1/2 tablespoons melted, unsalted butter
• 1 heaping tablespoon dried rosemary
• 1/2 teaspoon Penzeys Mural of Flavor
• 1-2 teaspoons coarsely-ground sea salt
• dash freshly-ground black pepper

Preheat oven to 325 degrees

In a bowl, toss cashews with butter (melt in microwave), herbs and seasonings. Place in a single layer on a baking sheet or shallow baking pan. Use the middle rack of the oven, and roast for about 30 minutes, checking frequently. When the cashews are beginning to darken, it's time to remove them from the oven. Allow to cool before eating.

I've taken a liking to Penzeys' Mural of Flavor, which is a blend of shallots, onion, garlic, thyme, rosemary, basil, coriander, lemon peel, citric acid, black pepper, chives, green peppercorns, dill weed, and orange peel. It added an extra layer of flavor and enhanced the rosemary.

I was quite satisfied with my approach, but then I found another I want to try. Ina Garten - people say I look like her - always gets it right.