The fancy term is “hors d’oeuvres” and holiday parties are all about snacking on little bites of this and that. Don’t you love when the trays of food arrive butler-style in front of you, you feel a little like a kid in a toy store and you always find your favorite one or two hoping that server will make his way back to you with a tray freshly refilled.
(delicat smoked salmon makes a fine horse d'oeuvres)
I think the quality of a caterer or chef really shines when it comes to these little amuse gueueles or amuses bouche (“little mouthfuls” translated from French). Amuses are traditionally served as a welcome from the chef before dinner is served and they’re perfect for the cocktail hour. These little foods don’t differ much from appetizers as long as they’re treated with the same care in preparation. The preparation tools might change a bit like small cutters for little toasts points and tweezers come-in handy to garnish tiny-bite sized pieces with herbs, pickles and such. Platters or trays are the preferred moving palettes to transport the tiny works of art from guest to guest.
Some of my simple favorites are cubed smoked salmon on crusty baguette rounds, beef tartar with capers perhaps with a dab of Tabasco with a pungent herb like cilantro. Jumbo sized shrimp “cocktail” are a certain favorite (the sauce consists of mayonnaise, ketchup, cognac and get a little heat with horseradish).
(a tab of caviar can make a bite-sized taste shine)
Tricks to make some fans
These one-bite wonders should be seasoned a bit more compared with an appetizer so remember a sprinkle of sea salt, a dab of cayenne, that extra spritz of lemon juice is needed to make that memorable first impression. I’m a big believer that the first impression must be ideal. Caviar, paper thin truffle slices, pungent herbs rich pâtés can be a good way to impress your in-laws and get that wow effect. Another French invention for holiday amuses are vol-au-vents literally meaning “blown by the wind”, these provide a delicious serving vessel. made with buttery puffed pastry and beg to be stuffed with an array of heavenly creamy mousses or crumbly, loose natured food.
Finger foods are the best case scenario for the host as clean-up is minimal but if you have plenty of helpers on your hand you have more options for fun serving utensils.
(proschuitto di parma, selected sausages for canapes - awesome)
Fun with Utensils
I love to use small Chinese soup spoons, shot glasses in which soup can be served, elaborately twisted bent spoons, pipettes where a shoot of some concentrated velvety creation can be served, pipettes which can serve as a skewer and contains some flavor explosive elixir at the same time. Old fashioned wooden skewers are perfectly fine to serve skewered flash seared filet mignon cubes, tuna belly dominos or savory lollipops.
Rummage through your cabinets and you may find under utilized egg holders or rustic looking earth wear sake cups, these make nice liquid holders for fragrant teas, soups or purees.
From my experience as a guest or participant at events or cocktail receptions a large amount of passed foods come out of a “fryalator.” In my opinion a lot of flavor identity of little food morsels get lost and it makes food taste very similar to each other and sits rather heavy in the belly.
Then again it’s not a bad idea if there is a lot of heavy drinking going on at the party - it makes a great sponge for those strong holiday cocktails!
Cheers, Prost and Happy Holidays.
