For Starters

Appetizers. How many times do we go out and skip what is often arguably the best part of the meal? The funnest part of going out? The appetizers and dessert. I mean, how many of us make appetizers at home? I don't.

"Okay, before I bring out the meatloaf, I have a baked brie and fruit slices."

Seriously.

Mexican food restaurants have it right. We all go in expecting the chips and dip, and we know it is part of the dining experience. Because they don't charge for this fare, we heartily eat it up. Perhaps these restaurants have increased prices elsewhere to defray the costs.  I don't know. But many others are jumping on the first course bandwagon. Been to Tejas Grill? They bring you a griddle of honey cornbread.  Happy Sumo? The beloved edemame.  There seems to be mounting evidence of a universal truth, and many restaurants are cashing in on it: We all like to nosh. 

So back to the brie.

If you are in Fort Collins I will take you to The Rainbow. This is the first, but certainly not the last, mention of my favorite local restaurant.  I love The Rainbow for just about every dish, for every course. But I would go there for no other reason than the baked brie.  Delectable oooey goooey bad-for-you-ness. I mean, you can see the oil separate and pool along the sides. Ask me if I care.  Nope.  I try to make myself feel better about eating this mess of deliciousness by reminding myself that the dippers are apple slices, broccoli, carrots.  Oh, and wonderful buttered slices of a fresh baguette. It's so good my husband and I took down an entire brie by ourselves (I'm pretty sure it's intended for like six people) and still ate entrees.  Yeah, that's right.  Oink, oink. (We did ride our bikes to and from The Rainbow. Okay, the brie was still probably about a weeks' worth of calories.  I still don't care. )

So. Good.