Time to go for a dip

I Googled ‘dips’ for fun to see what would come up. Boy oh boy, did it ever make me laugh.

It gave me an endless supply of, “five reasons you should be doing dips.” I thought, yes — this is what I’m talkin’ about. Until, that is, I took a closer look. “Dips are considered an upper-body pressing exercise that primarily builds bigger and stronger triceps.”

Um, say what now? The only way I’m building bigger and stronger triceps with the dips I plan on doing is by scooping up a delicious amount of dip onto a warm pita chip and pitching it into my mouth.

All that being said, I did find a recipe called “whipped feta with honey dip” on southerndiscourse.com and it is amazing! So amazingly delicious that I knew I had to share it with all my foodie friends. That’s you! Honest to goodness, I won’t lie, my mouth was watering at the picture, before I even made it.

Everything’s betta with a little feta.”

– El Greco

First things first. Let’s talk feta because there are many people who turn their noses at this cheese before giving it a chance.

Feta cheese originated in Greece and is made from sheep and goat’s milk. It’s different from other cheeses you may frequently buy as it has a tangy and salty taste.

Perhaps, you may have noticed that it doesn’t melt like other cheeses either. That’s what I love about it, it’s unique. As my mother would always say, “Why would you want to be like anyone else? It’s better to stand out and be unique.”

Let me tell you, my taste buds won’t lead you astray on this recipe. It is the most perfect combination of sweet and salty, coupled with a rich delectable texture. Have I sold you on it yet?

What do you need to make this delicious, salty, sweet and velvety smooth dip? Four ounces of crumbled feta cheese, four ounces of cream cheese (I use the whipped cream cheese as it’s an easier texture to work with), one tablespoon of olive oil, half a teaspoon of minced garlic, half a teaspoon of dried basil, a quarter cup of honey, one tablespoon of chopped pistachios (or almonds or walnuts), one teaspoon of finely chopped chives and a half teaspoon of cracked ground pepper.

“When I dip, you dip, we dip…” — Lyrics from the “Freak Nasty” song

Whipped feta with honey dip takes all of five minutes to make. All you have to do is combine the feta, cream cheese and olive oil in a food processor until it’s smooth. Or, in my case, a magic bullet, which is essentially a small blender. Once that’s done, add the basil and garlic and give all the ingredients another spin to mix.

Spoon the cheese mixture into a serving dish. It can be anything from a small dip bowl or a plate. As long as you have room for this next part.

Once the cheese mixture is spooned out onto the dish, shape it so there’s a well in the middle of the cheese mixture. Make sure it’s large enough to fit the quarter cup of honey. Once you have enough room, pour the honey in the well.

The last step is to make it pretty by garnishing the sides with chives, pistachios and black pepper.

Not only does this whipped feta with honey dip taste amazing, it looks extremely appetizing.

This dip is lovely when served with warm pita chips. If you don’t have that, you can use crackers, sliced warmed baguette or nacho corn chips.

“WTF: Where’s the feta.”

— Unknown

This recipe makes enough for about four people. If you need more, don’t be afraid to double up the recipe.

This dip is great for any occasion. I love it as an early evening snack with a glass of wine.

If you’re making it as an appetizer for dinner guests, you can make the cheese mixture ahead of time and store it in the fridge.

However, I would reserve the honey and garnishes to add just before you’re ready to serve it.

Whipped feta with honey dip is definitely fit to eat. Bon appetit.