One of my earliest assignments as my mother's sous-chef for her dinner parties and open houses, was to mix together “Liptauer,” a soft cheese spread indigenous to many regions of the Austro-Hungarian empire. I’ve never cared much for the original’s defining flavors -- caraway seeds and paprika -- so as I’d prepare the spread, I’d mix all of the ingredients except those two, set some aside for myself, and then complete the spread and set it out. My mother also entrusted me to prepare all of the crudités for her parties, including what we called “radish rosettes.” I must have carved thousands – well, it sure seemed like that – over the years. I was never a big fan of raw radishes, but oh, how I enjoyed that anchovy and caper scented butter and cream cheese spread slathered generously over those rosettes. (The small “petals” of the rosettes provide extra places to fill up with the spread!) Today, I use the basic ingredients from that old recipe, giving it my own interpretation, replacing the caraway seeds and paprika with just a touch of parsley and lemon, making the anchovies the focal point. You can serve this with plain crackers or herbed flatbread, but do put a small knife out, as this really is not a dip. Also, if you know your guests appreciate anchovies, use four or five to garnish the top, radiating them from the center of the dish or mound. Otherwise, finely chopped parsley and a few toasted pine nuts can be used to pretty this up. Enjoy! ;o)

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