I attended several functions in the last week, at different places, that served finger foods or hors-d’oeuvre. I found them I unexciting and less than appetizing. This is the case with most of the functions I have attended in recent years. They usually exist of -
-puff pastry something’s with little inside the puff pastry
-stuffed mushrooms with no taste stuffing
-cucumber slices with who knows what on top that falls off when you try to eat it
little hot dogs surrounded by bacon
-tasteless like mini quiches or mini pizza bites
cheese and crackers
Honesty, some of these were served at a 5 star hotel where I attended an afternoon party last Saturday. This hotel is not in a big city but is in a location that has famous guests at certain times of year and is always expensive to stay in.
So I was trying to think of some good alternatives. Any suggestion for some tasty and different hors-d’oeuvres?
Your list sounds so 70s. They also sound like someone had a cheap budget.
I like ethnic foods and mini versions of bigger foods. Here are some quick thoughts:
Sushi
Dim sum/dumplings
mini samosas
mini empanadas
mini arancini
mini latkes w/sour cream & caviar
stilton and walnut palmiers
pork or chicken sates
thai meatballs on lemongrass skewers
sliders/mini lamb burgers
bruschetta bar
charcuterie board/bar
mini lobster cheesecakes
mini reubens
mini knishes
ceviche in a cucumber cup
bite sized blts
But, honestly, if the budget is cheap and the person deciding on the menu aren’t foodies, usually the food is not good. For example, a GOOD stuffed mushroom can taste great, but often it can be blah due to poor execution.
Baking mushrooms on a cedar plank makes even a less than exciting filling taste yummy. Or better yet, try unstuffed ones! Like the ones served at our favorite restaurant, Seastar.
Whoa! Chef Howie’s mushrooms made to Martha’s website:
Asparagus wrapped in bacon and broiled is very nice, broiled veggies, smoked salmon and crackers, interesting dips and veggies or crackers or chips, lettuce wraps with interesting fillings or meatballs are all yummy and easy to prepare and serve.
Hello!
So!
My starts as the 10 guest arrive this Thursday night will be the same that I served a few weeks ago to 10.
You did not say how many?
snap peas, drizzel toasted sesame seed oil, toss with black sesame seeds (can make lots!)
Cherry tomatoes halved
arranged on a large platter with burratta lingering above the tomatoes for looks. (saying do not mix stuff as salad)
Then score the Buratta and drizzle one with A+ (we call it liquid gold) balsamic and the other with a pesto. serve with crostine and the guests make their own appetizer.
thin rye bread topped with radishes and butter, or chives
smoked salmon and capers on top of a cracker
cherry tomato BLT (fill halves with mayo and bacon and a little chopped lettuce)
I second the suggestion for ethnic foods - samosas always disappear first at my party
you can have chicken tikka wings too
also very popular are Caribbean style meat pies
Thin sliced baguette with some soft herb cheese, slice of smoked salmon, and thin slice of Granny Smith apple. Soak the apple slices in water & lemon juice if you aren’t eating the right away. I admit, we eat these for dinner sometimes.
I also have a recipe for a spicy peanut dip, serve with carrots and cucumbers that is very popular.
Sprinkle diced pears and finely chopped green onions with fresh squeezed lime to keep from discoloring. Mix in crumbled feta and chopped pecans. Put a spoonful of mixture into the cut end of an endive leaf. Yummy, low cal and easy.
But those tiny fillo dough cup and fill with with a myriad of things (can even use some of the veggie/rice/quinoa salads from deli counter) or fill with cubed brie, crushed ginger snaps and a bit of apricot/fig jam and heat in oven for 5 minutes.
Two things historically fly off the table…buffalo chicken dip, Franks has the recipe online and a pound of crab mixed with 8oz softened cream cheese, mold it in a mound, cover with cocktail sauce and have old Bay and lemons on the side.
Dolmas are also nice for finger food. Costco has a vegetarian version or many supermarkets and greek restaurants sell them if you don’t want to make them yourself.
So many different ethnic choices you can go with. Agree that hotel foods can be budget dependent. Perhaps see what some of your favorite local restaurants have available for large numbers of carryout items. It can be very time consuming to prepare so many of a large variety of hot/cold foods. Don’t be shy about outsourcing to even the freezer section of the local stores.
Satay can be made days in advance. Keeps perfectly in fridge. Chicken can be grilled, sliced, and skewered earlier in the day. I arrange skewers on a round platter with sticks facing out. Place small bowl of satay in center, and half a lemon to collect the used skewers.
Some these sound delicious. I am not actually planning a party at the moment. Was/am just curious about what people offered because, as I said, what I have been getting lately isn’t great.
I feel like all I have seen recently comes from the freezer section of stores.
