The right appetizers make the difference between a "mediocre" party and a "magnificent" one. For maximum success, choose a wide variety of foods to tempt your guests and serve them to delight both the eye and the palate.
Steps
Part 1 of 3: Choosing the Appetizers
Step 1. Decide how many different types of appetizers to serve based on the number of guests
For a small evening party you should have at least three. This minimum number must increase in proportion to the number of guests.
- If there are a maximum of 10 people, stick to three different dishes.
- If you have invited 10-20 people, then offer a choice of 5 foods. If the party is bigger and there are 20-40 guests, you need to serve at least 7 different types of appetizers. If there are more than 40 guests, make 9 preparations.
- You must never exceed the maximum limit of 9, regardless of how many people there are at the party.
Step 2. Gather the appetizers by "family"
In fact, you can present them together; a selection of different foods but with one common element gives enough variety to tickle your guests' taste buds and set them up for the main course.
- However, if you make a selection by choosing your appetizers from only one family, then the guests may be bored or disinterested in a certain flavor before the appetizers are even finished.
-
In general, appetizers are divided into 5 categories: vegetable, starchy, protein, snacks and spreads.
- Vegetable ones include fruit, vegetables, olives and potatoes.
- Starchy appetizers include small sandwiches, pizza, phyllo dough, bruschetta, crackers, sandwiches and bundles.
- Proteins include meatballs, cold cuts, chicken wings, sushi and egg dishes.
- In the group of snacks we find nuts, chips, pretzels, bits of cheese and popcorn.
- Spreads and sauces include guacamole, preserves, creamy spreadable cheeses, butter creams and anything else that can be added to crackers, fruit and vegetables.
Serves Appetizers Step 3 Step 3. Pair them with the main course
Before choosing the starters you should decide on the main course. Once you've determined that, you can evaluate the appetizers to make a variety that doesn't outweigh the main course.
- To get good combinations, try to combine opposites. If the main course is very rich and robust, choose light and fresh appetizers. On the contrary, if you plan a delicate dish, prepare substantial appetizers.
- Don't repeat the same flavors too often. You can follow a certain theme, but if you always use the same aromas throughout the meal, you will quickly flatten the palate of your guests. For example, if the main dish has a lot of cheese, avoid cheese based appetizers.
Serves Appetizers Step 4 Step 4. Don't forget about aesthetics
Excellent snacks stimulate the appetite and delight the eye. Choose those with contrasting shapes and colors to capture the attention of guests.
- For example, a light cheese goes well with bright and colorful fruit. Sandwiches with pointed edges go well with meatballs, eggs or sushi rolls.
- Likewise, play with temperature and texture. Offer cold and hot appetizers. Combine crunchy foods with other soft and creamy ones.
Need Appetizers Step 5 Step 5. Include at least one "easy fix"
These are appetizers that do not need preparation, but only to be served on the plate. They are easy to serve and inexpensive foods.
- If you really want to impress your guests, you can't just offer this type of appetizer, however a "simple solution" expands the choice without requiring too much work. As a guideline, consider serving one out of three simple entrees.
- We're talking cold veggies, crackers, cheese cubes, nuts, and chips. They'll keep guests happy without bankrupting you, plus leftovers can be easily stored for future use.
Part 2 of 3: Prepare the Appetizers
Serves Appetizers Step 6 Step 1. Make sure they are enough for all guests
It doesn't matter how many people will be present and how many different types of appetizers you have decided to offer, you must always plan the quantities in excess, in relation to the maximum number of diners you expect to have. As a standard rule, you should prepare six pieces per person.
- However, remember that if you have organized an event that does not include a main course but only appetizers, you need to calculate 10-15 pieces per person.
- Time is also a factor to consider. If, for example, you plan to serve appetizers for about two hours, keep in mind that guests will eat about 5 pieces per hour.
- Divide the total number of pieces by the number of varieties you want to serve so you will know, for each type of appetizer, how many servings to cook. If you have 30 guests you will need about 150 pieces to divide into 7 different types. This means that, for each type of appetizer, you will need to calculate about 21-22 servings.
Serves Appetizers Step 7 Step 2. Cook ahead
For those appetizers that need to be cooked or assembled, try to anticipate the preparation as much as possible. The best thing would be to prepare them the day before.
- The starters that are served hot must be pre-cooked in the oven and then reheated as soon as the first guests begin to arrive.
- Opt for baked preparations as this will make them crunchy. Absolutely avoid the microwave, even if you have found a recipe that tells you how to use it on this occasion.
- The only appetizers you don't have to bake in advance are those that go mushy after storing in the fridge, such as soufflés or crispy battered meat. Try to do all the preliminary steps in advance, but for cooking, plan the times so that the appetizers are ready as soon as the guests begin to arrive. Keep them warm as the rest of the guests show up.
Serves Appetizers Step 8 Step 3. Arrange them creatively
The selection of appetizers should be presented in a pleasant way because the eye also wants its part. Try to arrange food on plates with an aesthetic sense or find a way to decorate them.
- Use toothpicks and small plastic skewers to hold the complementary pieces of appetizers together. You can even use stick-shaped pretzels with the same purpose in order to combine them, for example with cheese or cold cuts.
- For those appetizers that need to be contained on saucers, such as pasta and fruit salads, choose an unconventional way to serve them. You can use martini glasses, emptied oranges, tea cups or sterilized candlesticks.
- Remember to decorate the trays too. Among the inedible decorations are doilies and placemats. What you can eat are lettuce leaves, parsley and edible flowers.
Part 3 of 3: Serve the Appetizers
Serves Appetizers Step 9 Step 1. Know how to serve appetizers
The cold ones should be arranged before the party starts. Warm ones should be made available when all or most of the guests have arrived.
- Serve the hot ones personally even if there is some staff to help you. In this way you have the opportunity to interact with guests.
- Crispy foods and foods with melted cheese should be served straight out of the oven. The others, such as those based on cooked vegetables, can be presented at room temperature without affecting their quality.
Serves Appetizers Step 10 Step 2. Offer some appetizers on the trays
The cold ones can remain available to diners on a table, but the hot ones must be served fresh so place them on a large tray or serving dish.
- This will make it easier for you to move among people by offering food. You will have the opportunity to participate in the party and at the same time fulfill your obligations as host.
- The trays are also easy to stock in the kitchen when diners have emptied them.
- If you don't have serving trays, you can improvise and use a decorated baking sheet or cutting board.
Serves Appetizers Step 11 Step 3. Leave some space around simple appetizers
Some snacks, especially cold ones, can be left on trays for guests to use. Among these, most people tend to crowd around the simpler ones, so make sure to space them well to avoid ending up with crowded areas.
Simple appetizers are the ones that don't need to be assembled, that are easy to take and eat, and are the ones that are the most popular. In fact, people tend to eat less when they have to prepare the food themselves, for example with sandwiches that must be composed by the same diners
Serves Appetizers Step 12 Step 4. Don't forget the drinks
Your guests will need something to drink while they eat. Arrange them on a separate table which they can access whenever they want.
- The bowl of punch is a very common choice, although it is not always the most practical. Guests who are already tinkering with the dishes find it difficult to pour themselves even a drink.
- The best thing would be to have the glasses already filled. Depending on the nature of the party, you can choose light cocktails or something non-alcoholic.
- If you are worried that there are not enough drinks for your guests, prepare as many glasses already filled as there are guests, provide a pitcher or a bowl from which they can draw.
