These canapés have been in my appetizer repertoire for decades. Always good, they're made better with top-quality bread, which I have custom-sliced at my favorite artisan bakery, and imported blue cheese.

I usually double the recipe to have extras on hand in the freezer.

Ingredients:

6 thick asparagus spears

¼ cup (2 ounces) cream cheese, at room temperature

¼ (1 ounce) blue cheese (see Tip)

1 egg white

Six ¼-inch-thick slices white or wheat bread

2 tbsp. unsalted butter, melted

Preparation:

Trim the asparagus to be as long as the bread slices. Steam the asparagus in a covered steamer over boiling water until tender. Or, put the asparagus in a microwave-proof dish and add about 1 tablespoon water. Cover tightly and microwave on high for about 4 minutes. Drain well.

Combine the cream cheese, blue cheese, and egg white in a small bowl. Trim the crusts off the bread and use a rolling pin to flatten the slices. Spread each slice with about 2 teaspoons of the cheese mixture. Place an asparagus stalk atop the cheese at the edge of the slice and roll to wrap the asparagus.

Brush the rolls on all sides with melted butter and place on an ungreased baking sheet. Place the sheet in the freezer for about 15 minutes, or until the bread is almost frozen. Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 400° F.

Slice each roll into thirds and bake for about 10 minutes, or until the bread is lightly browned and crispy. Serve warm.

Yield: 18 roll-ups

Advance preparation

The baked roll-ups can be frozen in a closed container for up to 1 month.

Heat the frozen roll-ups in a 350° F oven for about 5 minutes, or until warmed through.