It's been years since I've given a Smart Little Drinks Party. I'm more the cozy little dinner party type. But once in a while, one steps out of one's comfort zone, puts an extra coat of wax on the wooden surfaces and hopes for the best. I draw the line at setting out ashtrays. Of course, no one I know smokes, but if they did ... well, not in my house. Oh, and schedule the carpet cleaning for after the party, not before.
You know I'm all about the food, so you're on your own figuring out the drinks. As far as I'm concerned, just give me a pretty stemmed glass of Pellegrino with a wedge of lime. I don't have much of a repertoire of HDs (hors d'oeuvres), so I'm turning to friends in the blogosphere for an assortment of small bites you can choose from for your next party. The only recipes I've blogged that fit remotely into this category are: Baba Ghanoush, Hummus, Pimento Cheese and Salsa. And I'll post my recipe for Gougeres (pictured above) next Friday.
We're all busy, right? So I've rounded up mostly make-ahead, fuss-free HDs that won't leave you too wiped out to enjoy your guests. Let's get the party started! (Just don't get too crazy - this is real life, not Mad Men, you know!)
Blue Cheese Biscuits - David Lebovitz
Cheese, butter, cream - what's not to love - and they can be made ahead!
Ina's Stilton and Walnut Crackers - Leite's Culinaria
Make ahead, freeze, defrost, slice and bake - you can't not make these!
"Instant" Deli Olives - Five Euro Food
Charles says "It's hard not to just stand next to the bowl and hog them all!
Tuna Avocado Tartare - That Skinny Chick Can Bake
I'm a sucker for anything that can be served on a cute little spoon!
Filo Cups with Italian Sausage - Sippity Sup
It won't be a party if you don't serve up a little something in filo cups!
White Onion and Pecorino Tarts - The British Larder
If you put it in a tiny tart, I'll even eat stuff I don't like - but who doesn't like onions and cheese!
Italian Eggrolls with Sauce - Barefeet in the Kitchen
Every cocktail menu must have something in spring roll wrappers!
Tapas-Style Spice-Roasted Almonds - One Perfect Bite
You have to serve some nuts, and you can't just pop open a can! (If you do, at least hide the can.)
Doron's Turkey Meatballs - Orangette
A spin on the classic cocktail party meatballs!
Oh wow, what a selection of great foods! let's party then! :)
ReplyDeleteThanks for the link, Jean! I love this line-up of foods. I'm off now to check out a couple of the ones I haven't seen before now. I would love to be at that party!
ReplyDeleteThanks, Marina! Glad you could come to my party!
ReplyDeleteYou are welcome, Mary! Do come back next week for my next HD!
ReplyDeleteI have made Ina's Stilton & Walnut crackers and her Parmesan & Thyme crackers for multiple cocktail parties. They are easy to do, can be frozen for later occasions, and always a big hit.
ReplyDeleteThanks, Melanie! I'll look up those Parmesan and thyme crackers, too. Love things that freeze well.
ReplyDeleteI'm with you a glass of Pellegrino or Cava and I am good. I love the thought of a cocktail party, but I much prefer the intimate dinner as well. I see several recipes I will research before my next party. Bonnie
ReplyDeleteBonnie, thank you! Of course, I can make a meal of my favorite dips listed - baba ghanoush, hummus, pimento cheese and salsa.
ReplyDeleteI just purchased, via Amazon, two of Ina's cookbooks. I hope the Stilton and Walnuts crackers will be in one of them! :-) And it all sounds great - especially the olives.
ReplyDeleteI'm looking forward to trying those crackers, too. I wish someone would make me a batch of each of the items on my list so I could try them all at once, even though I'm not having a party this weekend!
ReplyDeleteFilo cups work as hats for finger puppets too. So it's a drinks party "win/win". GREG
ReplyDeleteArgh Blogger hates me these days and won't let me leave messages at Sippity Sup. I just don't get it. GREG
ReplyDeleteThanks so much for the mention Jean - what a wonderful selection of yummies! Perfect for those wonderful drinks and nibbles with friends!
ReplyDeleteGreg, I have no idea why that might be. But I'm going to add your Sippity Sup URL right here! http://www.sippitysup.com/
ReplyDeletePS Love the finger puppet idea, but I gobble the filo cups down too quickly to have time to play with them!
Charles, not at all. Or as we say in the States, you're welcome!
ReplyDeleteHaHaHaHa...once again Jean we have things in common. My cocktail napkin ala the 50's woman shows the woman smoking a cigarettee with the saying "she had not yet decided whether to use her power for good or evil...."
ReplyDeleteI'm with you, though, I don't know many people who smoke...and certainly not in my house! I'm in the middle of watching MAD MEN series in which drinking and smoking are non-stop.
These little delectables look delicious! I have a friend who eats every meal as if it was little h'orderves. Think I'll make some for her. Some of these look down right dangerous...they'd just roll and pop into your mouth until you wondered where they all went!
Sue, *you* would notice the cocktail napkin! I do think a clever napkin simply *makes* the occasion! Your friend better watch out - if she's anything like me, she'll eat enough of the tiny little things to out-calorie a large meal.
ReplyDeleteOooh, I'd love to go to a party where all these great dishes were being served! Thanks for including my tuna tartare :) Have a wonderful weekend, Jean~
ReplyDeleteYeah, I thought it was a good mix of tastes and textures and presentation. Hope you have a great weekend too!
ReplyDeleteYOUR parties would put Perle Mesta out of business!
ReplyDeleteThomas "Sully" Sullivan
http://www.thomassullivanauthor.com/
Thanks, Sully! (And sorry you're having technical difficulties commenting.)
ReplyDeleteWOW!!! Wonderful selection of yummies! I love those line up of foods I feel hungry now!!!
ReplyDelete