Don’t forget to garnish! Add splashes of color so your food looks scrumptious to the eye as well as appealing to the taste. Mini quiches are delicious, but lack pizzazz in the color department, so chop a bit of fresh herb to sprinkle on, or use a spear made of red pepper. A dab of bright jam (there are savory jams available) can work; just experiment.
Be prepared! To be safe, provide between three or four pieces of each hors d’oeuvres per person. Your stationary platters of nibbles will act as a backup. When making your head count, remember that guests eat the most during the first two hours of a party. Also, consider that if hors d’oeuvres are hearty and filling, guests may only eat one or two of each. If a treat is easily popped into a mouth, prepare more. Don’t forget to set out cocktail napkins!
As you can see, the choices of what to serve are endless and very subjective, but here are some general tips to help you along the way:
- Learn to make a decent crostini—trust me on this one. One baguette yields about thirty crostini if you slice it thinly enough (not too thin or they will break). Slice your bread, brush both sides of each slice with olive oil, and lay the slices flat on cookie sheets. Sprinkle with salt, garlic, parsley, and pepper, any herbs or spices you want, and bake at 350° F. Start checking on them at nine minutes. They should be crispy on the outside, and slightly chewy in the middle. This prevents the “I took a bite and the rest of this hors d’oeuvres crumbled onto my chemise” problem. Another great tip? If the slices are big, cut them in half so they are manageable and easy to eat.
- Do as much as you can the day before. Lots of things taste better after the ingredients hang out together overnight. Crostinis can be stored overnight in an airtight container, veggies can be chopped and kept in water, pita crisps can be baked and stored, dips can be made. Do anything that will help make the party day less hysterical!
