The cocktail hour is usually not complete without a few nibblies to tie people over until the dinner (and do you really want everyone pounding back drinks on an empty stomach?). Although it may seem like an unnecessary expense, there is a way to cut back on the hors doeurves without resorting to a box of Ritz crackers and a jar of Cheez Whiz.
Firstly, you don't need enough appetizers to feed an army. This is supposed to be light finger food, after all. I find that four or five different appies per person is fine.
Hors doeurves comes from the French, meaning outside of the work. The idea is that these are little flavor surprises for the taste buds and do not foreshadow the meal. In other words, if your dinner features chicken, rice and tomatoes, none of those ingredients should be featured in the hors doeurves. Have fun and be creative with these pint-sized noshes.
Want to offer up luxury tastes of shrimp and lobster but don't have the budget? Consider having these pricier ingredients as your hors doeurves. As they are small, the cost will be minimal but the flavor will make it seem like you spent a small fortune.
Caviar taste on a sardine budget – that's a smart and frugal bride.
Photo courtesy of Epicurious
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