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looking for appettizer/canape ideas

1K views 8 replies 6 participants last post by  chefross 
#1 ·
hi, am thinking about going into the catering business and need some ideas for hot appertizers. am okay for cold appertizers as i came across a fantastic book on amazon called, cold canapes. I just want to know what  people love to eat, not what we think they want. It doesn't have to be recipes, I just want to know what u like to eat at a dinner party when it comes to appertizers

cheers

snappy1
 
#2 ·
Fresh goat cheese, Jabugo acorn fed Ham and tomato coulis spread, anchovies with fresh Burgos cheese, Torta de Casar spreadable sheep cheese which is an Extremaduran, Caceres slight piquant cheese, tapas in general are a good source of ideas for canapes or tostas, a dynamic smoked salmon with cream cheese and chives ... Spreads ... Thick Green Goddess  with Grilled Langoustines would work too ...  Pates too ... Strips of filet mignon aboard a bed of melted Cabarales blue cheese or Roquefort ... Melted Provolone ... Proscuitto di Palma ... Exemplary products say it all and phenomenal breads or cracker breads ... Margcata 
 
#3 ·
I like good old fashioned stuff like swedish meatballs.  Phyllo dough triangles filled with just about anything (spinach, cheese, meats, mushrooms, etc.)  Fancy pigs in a blanket.  Stuffed mushrooms.  Skinny spring rolls, deep fried manchego drizzled with honey, shrimp wrapped in bacon, etc.
 
#4 ·
I think you'll find that there are regional and ethnic differences in what people prefer. So any definative answer depends on where you live and what the market is.

For inspiration, though, you could do a lot worse that Martha Sewart's Hors D'Oeuvres Handbook." Yeah, yeah.I know. Martha. But fair is fair, and this is one of the definative books on the subject.

And, as I suggested on the tapas thread, you can easily adapt any favorite dish to appetizer format. Just be a little creative with how you do the conversion. And keep in mind that appys, more than any other style of food, must appeal to the eye as well as the mouth.
 
#6 ·
Fresh goat cheese, Jabugo acorn fed Ham and tomato coulis spread, anchovies with fresh Burgos cheese, Torta de Casar spreadable sheep cheese which is an Extremaduran, Caceres slight piquant cheese, tapas in general are a good source of ideas for canapes or tostas, a dynamic smoked salmon with cream cheese and chives ... Spreads ... Thick Green Goddess with Grilled Langoustines would work too ... Pates too ... Strips of filet mignon aboard a bed of melted Cabarales blue cheese or Roquefort ... Melted Provolone ... Proscuitto di Palma ... Exemplary products say it all and phenomenal breads or cracker breads ... Margcata
I love these ideas....but.....where do you live? In my neck of the woods these ideas might as well be "spam" cause nobody would eat them, let alone pronounce them......LOL

In a few weeks I will be doing the annual X-mas party here at work. I have a buffet table with 10-12 hors d oeuvres and also pass 10-12 more in the room. I have about 90 guests. It is the largest party I do each year. Trying to create a list of hors that don't drip or crumble is not easy....here's my list from this year:

On The Table
[h1]Cold Poached Lake Salmon with Condiments[/h1][h3]Fresh Oysters Mignonette[/h3]
Wood Grilled Lamb Lollipops (Greek Style)

Grilled Tenderloin of Beef with Small Rolls and Condiments

Jumbo Shrimp with Seafood Cocktail Sauce

Elk Country Pate

Chicken and Asparagus Dijon

Spinach Pesto Cheese Puffs

International Cheese and Sausage Display

Roasted Peppers, Hummus, Black Olive, in a Toasted Bread Box

Chorizo Calzones

Passed

Maryland Crabcakes with Zesty Remoulade

Smoked Lake Trout Crepes

Sirloin Gorgonzola Bacon Wraps

Spinach and Stuffing Balls

Arancini

Warm Caramel Apple Goat Cheese with Crostini

Andouille Sausage and Scallop Kabobs

Ratatouille Tartlets

Caramelized Onion, Bacon, and Gruyere Purse

Skewered Sesame Encrusted Ahi Tuna

Dessert Table

Chocolate Covered Éclairs

Carolyn's Famous Lebkuchen

Chocolate Dipped Strawberries

Cappuccino Cheesecake Bars

Chocolate Bourbon Cake with Chambord Ganache

Profiteroles with Lemon Curd

Cranberry Mascarpone Tart

Godiva Belgian Chocolates
 
#7 ·
Firstly, I my suggestions had nothing to do with Spam. I have been living and working in Madrid, Spain and prior in Milan and Florence, Italy. I have a profound penchant for shellfish, seafood and Mediterranean cuisine hailing from Italy, Spain, Portugal, Greece and southern France.

I am a native Manhattaner and due to my professional position and my younger daughter, have decided to cross the Blue Pond.

None the less, the carte you have selected is quite palate pleasing I am sure.

Some appetisers * hors d' oeuvers, tapas, meze and or antipasti I always enjoy are,

Sun dried tomatoes

An array of wonderful European cheeses with fresh grapes, fab bread and cheese

Steak tartar

Sea Scallops

Prawns or shrimp grilled with olive oil extra virgin and garlic

Mexican ... a volcanic Aztec stone mocajete vessel looking like a mortar prepared chunky guacamole

Italian antipasti

Olives, particularly Kalamata or Nicoise varieties

Good wines, red and or white

Steamed Mussels, Fresh Oysters on half shell and Smoked salmon or Sable

Great pepper nut crackers, canapes, toasts or tostadas and bread sticks galore

Fab breads to put pickings on

Phenomenal Ham varieties, including Virginia roast ham, Proscuitto d' Palma or Iberian Acorn Fed Ha bu go which is Jabugo

Sashimi and sushi   

Italian Salami

Warm fresh figs with goat cheese

Dips for crudities, Hazelnut dip

Walnuts, almonds, Brazil nuts and Macademia nuts

Anything with chili peppers including stuffed jalepenos

Cold cut Deli meats

Stuffed grape leaves with rice and pinenuts

Greek Spinach pie in Phyllo

Skewers ... kebabs * 

Hummus, chickpea dip and Ba ba gha nush which is an eggplant and tahine dip from Turkey, Greece, Lebanon, Egypt and Morocco

served with warm Pita.

I like themes too ... it narrows down the variety a bit.

Hope this clears things up. Margcata * Margaux Cintrano.
 
#8 · (Edited)
My 2nd note ...

Nice carte, or menu ... Very nice. Where is your catered gig and where are u from ...

Best of luck !

The funniest thing is that you have mentioned in your carte many of the appetisers in my original email and u seem to have a truly lovely menu all planned ... You mentioned kebabs / skewers and Hummus and blue cheese Gorgonzola ...

Olive tapenade or olive pate could be a lovely dip ... and an ALI OLI, which is mayonnaise however, made by hand and not store bought in a jar ... Sun dried Italian tomatoes Ali Oli is lovely too ...

1 fourth cup drained sun dried tomatoes, 1 large egg, 1 tblsp minced garlic, 1 and a half tsps of French Mustard, one and a half fresh squeezed lemon juice and salt with white pepper to taste, three fourths cup extra virgin olive oil and finely chop all and blend well, and feed the olive oil in via a feed tube and blend until thick and smooth ... It is lovely with filet of beef ...

 Margcata.
 
#9 ·
Thanks for your comments....I have tried many of your ideas through the years as well.

I love Sushi, but unfortunately many people are turned off by it simply because they believe it means raw fish.

I try to educate them but the platter still sits there.

Crudites are a big thing on the coasts but in the Midwest trying to get people to eat raw veggies  is not easy.

I find Antipasto works well as does any seafood.

We have done the imported Caviar from Iran for many years (Beluga) but now it is outlawed in the US so we get Sevruga these days.

I've done Spanikopita and Dolmades, and Tartars and the like over the years. 

Also each year I do a Ballantine or Gallantine of various things served either with a sauce, relish or Pommeray Mustard.

To date I have done 14 of these and know what sells and what doesn't.
 
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