Welcome back to French Fridays at FlavorSings. I've been absent from the group for a bit; I wasn't feeling inspired by the braised ribs, or the green beans. To be honest, I almost didn't make this recipe either. But I'm so glad I did. A quick bread didn't feel very French to me, and maybe I wanted more of a challenge--an adventure or a profound story to tell. There isn't one. This is as easy as it looks, but a thousand times more delicious than words could convey. This bread comes together like any coffee cake or banana bread you've made before. The big difference is the addition of olive oil, cheese and herbs to make a savory snack. I love how adaptable this can be to what you may have on hand. I used white cheddar and chives, but I'd like to try a Swiss and dill version of this, or maybe Parmesan and fresh basil when our garden gets started again. The texture is soft and moist and would show off any combination of flavors nicely.
Now that I think about it, sliced thinly, this bread might make an amazing grilled cheese sandwich. Because there is no such thing as too much cheese. A glass of white wine would be perfect with it, as would a bowl of soup. This bread is just waiting for ways to be used creatively. Don't forget to see how the other cooks over at French Fridays with Dorie did with their bread. I'm looking forward to seeing the variations and getting some fun ideas.
