FOOD NEWS
The Clever Hors D'oeuvre Rule For Keeping Cocktail Hour Classy
BY HOPE NGO
While beverages are essential to cocktail parties, a diverse selection of hors d'oeuvres that cater to your guests' dietary needs is equally important.
Chef Ina Garten follows the rule of serving guests a mix of meat, vegetables, and fish. She says if you "cover whatever the guests eat [then] it feels a little like a meal."
Appetizers with bread like bruschetta or pizza will add substance and carbs to your menu. Proteins such as meats or seafood will help keep your guests full and satisfied.
You can't go wrong with a charcuterie board with cheese, crackers, olives, nuts, and pickles. Add proteins with bean dips, hummus, meatballs, mini sandwiches, or chicken wings.
Garten advises serving a sampler selection of five or six types of hors d'oeuvres to ensure you have enough food, but increase accordingly, based on about ten servings per person.
The Barefoot Contessa also recommends serving hors d'oeuvres at room temperature so you're not stuck in the kitchen while your party is in full swing.