Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 375 F
2. Slice baguette into 16-20, ½ inch pieces.
3. Brush both sides of bread lightly with olive oil, sprinkle with a little salt, and bake on a sheet pan until crisp and golden, about 2 minutes on both sides. 4 minutes in all.
4. Sauté the mushrooms: heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat and add the mushrooms, and season generously with salt and pepper. Sauté 10-15 minutes, until they release their liquid and the liquid has evaporated. Add the shallots and garlic and sage, adding a little more oil if needed, and continue to sauté until they become fragrant and golden, about 3-4 more minutes. Give the pan a splash of cooking sherry or wine, swirling the pan around, letting the alcohol cook off fully. If mushrooms seem dry add another drizzle of olive oil and taste. If bland, add more salt. You want these to be seasoned really well with salt and pepper because the bread and cheese will mute it. Drizzle generously with truffle oil and turn heat off.
5. When the baguette slices are nice and toasty and crispy, place a small pat of your favorite cheese, dividing the remaining cheese. Top with a few slices of the sautéed mushrooms, distributing them equally, making sure that each gets a little piece of sage.
6. Serve them on a platter or cheese board and serve immediately or keep them at room temp for up to two hours before serving. Or foil them up and take them to your party.
7. You could drizzle with a little reduced balsamic glaze, right before serving.

Vegan Cheese

Ingredients for Vegan Cheese

• 1 cup raw cashews, soaked in water, 3-24 hours (or see notes)
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2–4 tablespoons water
• ½ lemon
• 1 teaspoon nutritional yeast
• Truffle-infused olive oil (optional)
• Optional additions include: smoked paprika, granulated garlic, fresh herbs (basil, cilantro parsley, cilantro, dill, etc.) or dried herbs (oregano, thyme, rosemary). Start conservatively, add more to taste.

Instructions for Vegan Cheese

1. Soak Cashews in water for 3 hours (or up to 24 hours refrigerated). Drain the cashews saving the water.
2. Place the cashews in a food processor with the salt and lemon and pulse repeatedly. Scrape down the sides and continue blending, repeating if necessary.
3. Add the cashew water, with the motor running, a tablespoon at a time to get the desired consistency. I typically add 3-4 tablespoons. Then blend for 1-2 minutes.
4. Taste and feel free to add any optional additions.