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Sunday, January 1, 2012

An Array of International Wedding Hors D'oeuvres

!±8± An Array of International Wedding Hors D'oeuvres

Weddings are all about blending families and cultures, everything from your great-aunt's wedding jewelry to your fiance's family church. Beyond wedding jewelry and the like, another fantastic opportunity for mixing cultures is with the wedding food. Here are some great suggestions for an international array of wedding hors d'oeuvres.

Exploring different cultures and traditions through food is one of the best parts about weddings. The foods need not be from your own cultural background or heritage. One very modern approach to the cocktail hour is to offer guests a variety of appetizers from all around the globe. It can be set up in stations, with each one representing a different region or type of cuisine. Your guests will really enjoy snacking their way around the world in the course of an hour or two.

Asian food is very popular and it makes a great place to begin planning your international wedding hors d'oeuvres menu. Fried wontons with little dipping sauces are a sure-fire hit. Another delicious appetizer idea is tiny mu shu pancakes tied with a piece of scallion or other edible tidbits. Little cups of egg drop soup will be much enjoyed by guests on a cool evening.

Greek cuisine offers many tasty appetizer options for wedding cocktail hours. You can bet that guests will gobble up mini pitas stuffed with gyro meat, feta, and a cool cucumber sauce. Phyllo dough is a favorite ingredient for Greek food, and it lends itself beautifully to creating yummy hors d'oeuvres. Phyllo triangles filled with spinach and goat cheese are elegant and delicious, perfect for a passed tray of appetizers. Stuffed grape leaves are another excellent addition to the cocktail hour menu.

Mexican and Spanish cuisine offer many more delicious ideas for the wedding cocktail hour. Empanadas are loved for their savory/sweet combination, and the closed shape of them makes them an easy food to eat while standing up. Mini tacos or chimichangas may remind the bride too much of sports bar food, but guess what: the guys at the reception will wolf them down. Or arrange for a Spanish tapas bar, serving all the little bites which are so popular: everything from olives, battered squid, chorizo, cured meats, cheeses, and small pieces of bread. A tapas station is an upscale addition to any wedding reception.

French cuisine has long held a reputation as the pinnacle of culinary delights, and it also has many hors d'oeuvres which would be ideal for an international selection of appetizers. The word hors d'oeuvres itself is French, after all. There are any number of French appetizers, ranging from delightful canapes to crispy cold crudites to luscious cheeses served with fruit. For passed hors d'oeuvres, you might consider croutons topped with foie gras and caviar, artichoke hearts filled with chicken mousse, and smoked salmon on croutons. French cuisine also lends itself to a fabulous spread at a wedding reception station. The centerpiece can be puff pastry wrapped baked Brie with apricots. Other additions to the station can include an assortment of French goat cheeses and pates with crackers.

This is only the tip of the iceberg. Your around the world appetizers stations can also include Japanese sushi, Italian antipasto, and maybe even something American like comfort food (mashed potato shooters, anyone?) or soul food. Whichever cultures and cuisines you choose to represent, one thing is for sure: your guests will not leave your wedding hungry!

An Array of International Wedding Hors D'oeuvres

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Monday, December 26, 2011

Easy Appetizers That Look Great

!±8± Easy Appetizers That Look Great

Easy appetizers will help make your party a success. This does not mean they have to be cheap tasting or bland. You can make simple appetizers a day or two before your party from real ingredients that not only taste great, your guests will be impressed when they see them on the platter.

You may be shaking your head at this idea, but it is true. Serve some of these delightfully easy appetizers for parties, dinners, or holiday gatherings. Your family and friends will love the food and you will feel great. Why not try toasting pecans with a honey chipotle sauce or make some fancy olive tapenade to serve with crackers or toast points? These appetizers look like a professional made them and they deliver big on flavor.

Finger foods are fun for all ages, so why not make them look as great as they taste? Dips, baked brie, and so many other tasty foods are just waiting for you to make them. Take baked brie, for instance. There are many ways to serve this tasty, melted cheese. Top it with cranberries or nuts and Kahlua. Savory toppings also taste great wrapped with the cheese in puffed pastry. Try making these simple appetizers and see what you think. A trial run is a great way to test out recipes. Make some for a movie night that you can enjoy while you try them out.

Recipe for Baked Brie Topped with Caramelized Onions

This savory combination is delightful served with baguette slices, crackers, or crudites.

What You Need

2 Tablespoons butter 8 cups sliced onions (4 large onions) 1 Tablespoon fresh thyme, minced 4 garlic cloves, chopped 1/2 cup dry white wine 1 teaspoon sugar Salt and pepper to taste 1 8-inch French Brie 2 French baguettes, sliced How You Make It

Place butter in a large cast iron skillet over medium heat. Add onions and saute until they are tender; about 6 or 7 minutes. Keep stirring them so they do not burn. Add the thyme and reduce the heat to low. Stir frequently, for about 25 minutes. Add garlic and let it saute a couple of minutes. Add 1/4 cup of the wine, stirring until it almost evaporates. Sprinkle onions with sugar and continue cooking for around ten more minutes. Add the remaining wine, again stirring until it almost completely evaporates. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Let the onions cool. (This portion of the recipe can be made up to two days ahead of time and kept in the refrigerator.)

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Unwrap your Brie. Carefully cut away the top of the rind, leaving the rest intact. Place the Brie on a baking sheet covered with parchment. Spoon onion mixture on top of the Brie. Bake until the cheese begins to melt; about half an hour.

Remove Brie from the oven. Lift it by the parchment paper and transfer it to a platter. The paper can be trimmed once the cheese has been moved. Surround it with slices of baguette and serve warm.