William Holland

The Complete Guide for Your Appetizers William Holland

INTRODUCTION

Appetizers are finger foods usually served before a meal, or in between mealtimes, and are also called hors d'oeuvres, antipasti, or starters, and may range from the very simple to the very complex, depending on the occasion and the time devoted to making them. They're a common accompaniment to aperitifs, cocktails served before a meal.




At dinners, banquets and the like, appetizers may be served before a meal. This is especially common at weddings when it takes time for the wedding party and guests to get to a reception after the marriage has taken place. Appetizers may be served at long parties that occur after a regular mealtime. A mid-afternoon party where there is no intent to serve dinner, or an evening party that occurs after dinner may feature appetizers so that guests can have the opportunity to snack. Many restaurants feature a range of appetizers that are ordered just before a meal as a first course.




Appetizers should be big on flavor, small on size and price. The appetizer must have distinct, piquant flavour and appetitewhetting qualities. Pickled and salted foods, acids, pepper and paprika play a conspicuous part in their manufacture. Raw oysters and clams, grapefruit, melons and fruit cocktails, canapes and small sandwiches spread with pastes of sardines, anchovies and caviar, lobster and crabmeat, cheese, olives and other mixtures of high flavour, deviled eggs, small succulent salads, may all be included without prejudice in the list of 8 appetizers. In parts of the United States, the dinner is always begun with the salad as the appetizer.
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