I cook all sorts of food for different events, but my most positive feedback is always from my canapé parties. Don’t get me wrong; a classic devilled egg will always go down a treat, and who doesn’t love a cheese straw? However, it does feel about time we shook things up a bit and got more adventurous with our party food.
I’ve taken inspiration from supper clubs to street food and everything in-between. I hope in this book I can introduce you to some new flavours and ingredients and you’ll have as much fun creating them as your guests have eating them.
* Bite-sized – they should be easy to eat.
* Full of flavour – make that one mouthful pack a punch.
* Fun – don’t get worked up about what’s authentic and correct; this is the time to play around with flavours.
We eat with our eyes
Canapés should look appetizing. You can go the whole hog with the micro-herbs and fancy toppings, or keep the food simple and decorate your plate.
Not every plate of food has to have decoration, although a garnish can help indicate what is in the canapé. For example, if I’m serving some spicy fishcakes I may put a bunch of fresh coriander/ cilantro and chilli/chile on the side of the plate.
Sometimes simple is best. If your food looks intricate and pretty, let it stand alone on a plain white plate.
Think beyond your kitchen plates. A banana leaf polished with a little vegetable oil can look lovely with tropical food on it. You can use anything from tin serving trays to chopping boards, as long as they are clean and food safe. But think practically. Your plates need to have a flat surface so your creations don’t fall over and they should be light enough to hand around. If you’re serving skewers, make sure there is an empty pot or glass for people to dispose of their used skewers.
Planning your party
Some of us are planners, some of us are not. Some love a spreadsheet, while others just hope it will all be alright on the night. Even if you fall into the latter camp, be aware that the more you plan and do ahead, the less you will have to do on the day, and the more fun you can have at your own party.
There are three main aspects to party planning:
* What food you are going to serve.
* What your guests are going to drink.
* The other stuff...
What food will you serve?
Quantity
If you are thinking of serving pre-meal canapés, perhaps as an alternative to a starter, then you should allow three to five canapés per person.
For a drinks party of around three hours, I would offer 11 canapés per head. You could start with a few canapés, then offer bowl food to ease the workload.
There does not have to be a different variety for each canapé. For example, if you wanted to provide 12 canapés per head, it could be four types, three of each. I tend to cater for at least one and a half of each canapé per person, so that if someone takes two, another person won’t go without.
Choosing which canapés to prepare
Pick a mix of hot and cold bites, including some things you can make ahead. Balance the menu in terms of fresh/fried, light/filling and different flavours. Offer a variety of fish, shellfish, meat, poultry and vegetable canapés. Use local and seasonal ingredients, not only to reduce the food miles, but because they cost less and taste better.
Be generous. You may not cook each of your guests a fillet steak/beef tenderloin for dinner, but at a canapé party, just one steak can make 20 canapés. It feels like a luxury to be offered prawns/shrimp, fillet steak/beef tenderloin or caviar, even if in such small quantities.
If you know good store-bought products that can make your life easier, use them. Always. No one expects everything you offer to be home-made. I often order miniature bagels from my local bakery, and if throwing something impromptu, I will pick up some mini croustades from the shop and fill them at home with something fresh and delicious.
Will anyone be bringing children? Keep kids happy with mini sandwiches, crudités and happy with mini sandwiches, crudités and cocktail sausages.
Don’t forget dessert! You would end a dinner on a sweet note, so do the same with canapés. Last impressions are as important as first ones.
What will your guests be drinking?
Running out of booze at a party is a real no-no. To ensure this doesn’t happen, buy more than you think you need, by purchasing from a company with a sale-or-return option. Many companies also offer free delivery and free glass and ice bucket hire with a deposit.
If you are sticking to a budget, here are my tips:
* Consider pitchers of cocktails or spritzers in the summer, and mulled wine in the winter.
* Use Champagne for toasts and then Cava or Prosecco for refills.
* Look for deals a few weeks before the party – some don’t stick around for long.
Don’t forget the soft drinks
People who are not drinking alcohol shouldn’t be made to feel left out, so provide an interesting ‘mocktail’ or a sparkling elderflower pressé that can be used for a toast in a flute.
Ice
If you have no refrigerator space for drinks, then use large plastic ice buckets to chill drinks.
Buy and arrange a delivery of ice. Maybe not if you have a short guest list, but it’s good not to have to think about it, and terrible if you run out.
The other stuff not to forget
There’s a lot to think about when catering for large numbers at home. With moving furniture, cleaning, drinks and cooking, accept help when offered!
You may want to do all the cooking yourself, but hiring waiting staff or bar staff makes life easier.
Getting friends to lend a hand in the kitchen or serving drinks is also a must. If I have a friend who doesn’t know many people, I’ll ask him or her to hand around a plate of canapés – an easy way to approach guests and make quick introductions.
Many of the following tasks can be done early in the planning process.
* Invitations – it sounds obvious, but make sure your guests know that you will be providing food. Then they can let you know if they have any food intolerances. It is best to have a few vegetarian and gluten-free options anyway.
* Music – make a playlist, or use a sharing app.
* Transportation – make sure you have a local taxi number written somewhere that people can see.
* Coats – will guests be wearing coats when they arrive? It may be worth buying a cheap, collapsible rail or just making sure you have a bed made up on which you can pile them.
* Neighbours – advise (or invite?) the neighbours. If they know what time you are finishing there will be less reason for them to feel disgruntled.
* Buy napkins, toilet paper and rubbish bags.
* A day or so before the party, clear out your refrigerator to maximize the space. You need to be mindful of leaving food unchilled for too long.
A note on all recipes.
If you are doubling or tripling recipes, be aware that you may not need to multiply your seasonings and dips in the same way as your base ingredients. For example, for lamb skewers you will need to double the lamb, but perhaps just stick to one quantity of marinade or dipping sauce.
Helpful tools
* Measuring spoons – it’s very important in some recipes to make sure the measures are precise.
* A 24-hole mini muffin tray.
* Non-stick silicone mats.
* Disposable piping/pastry bags.
* A sugar/candy thermometer. If you don’t have a deep-fryer, a thermometer is useful in keeping your oil at the right temperature for frying.