Appetizers are always a popular option with guests. They can turn any get-together into a really festive occasion. This is especially true in summer, when sunsets and a bottle of bubbly add an irresistible touch of glamour.
There's no need to go completely out of your comfort zone and force yourself to cook dishes you're not used to, though! Virtually any recipe can be turned into a creative and delicious bite, so this is an opportunity to whip up new takes on old classics.
Think in Mini-Bites!
When you start from the premise that a mouthful is the exact amount of food that comfortably fills your mouth, converting your favourite recipes into appetizers is easy!
This is the most creative part of your meal! Explore themes and foreign cuisines that can delight your guests.
Use Specific Ingredients as the Foundation
Whether a corn chip, a fried rice leaf, a slice of cucumber or daikon, or an upside-down mushroom, a wide variety of ingredients can be transformed into a receptacle for serving a recipe. Bite-sized pieces can be placed on a serving tray, too.
While the texture of some foods remains impeccable despite any cooking, others can soften. It's better to prepare them at the last minute. Opt for heartier mixtures or insert a barrier food, such as leaf lettuce or a piece of nori.
Select Stylish Toothpicks
For foods that hold together well, such as meatballs, mini-sandwiches or skewers of tomatoes and bocconcini pearls, stylish toothpicks may be just the thing.
A wide variety of designs are available online and in specialty party supply stores. By opting for a well-chosen pattern, you can elevate the presentation of your appetizers and highlight the theme of your event.
Shop for Verrines
Some recipes, which are more liquid or have multiple ingredients with distinct colours, benefit from set up in verrines. Make sure the glass containers are transparent to layer and showcase each item elegantly. The juxtaposed layers will add visual punch!
Verrines are also great for adding verticality and volume to your appetizers. Sticks of crudités dipped in hummus or herbed yogurt are more spectacular than a simple serving platter.
Go for the Aperitif Spoons
Here's the perfect solution for anything a little more difficult to handle, especially if you are looking for a taste experience that requires that all ingredients of an appetizer be consumed simultaneously, such as a gazpacho, orzo salad, mac and cheese, mini vol-au-vent with snails, etc. The possibilities are endless for both hot and cold appetizers.
Another advantage of appetizer spoons is that they offer a perfect canvas for fine-tuning bite-size decorations. Even more visually stunning!
Refiner the Presentation
To elevate the visual impact, decorate each appetizer with flower petals, micro greens, fish roe, seeds, nuts and crumbles for stunning colours, visual textures and tastes.
The trays, cutting boards, platters and serving plates that feature your appetizers also deserve the royal treatment! Make sure they're clean and free of sauce stains and food crumbs, and consider introducing aspects that will remind you and your guests of the overall theme.
A few well-chosen paper napkins will finish off your appetizer concept in style!