Jen's Kitchen
 Mastering Appetizers
 Jennifer Leiter

Many of us frequently attend social events where appetizers are served, though there seem to be just as many serving hors d’oeuvres. Are they the same thing? Can these words be used interchangeably?

According to experts, there is a difference between an hors d’oeuvre and an appetizer. Hors d’oeuvres are served separate from the meal while appetizers are meant to be the starting point or first course and should complement the rest of the meal.

Many countries have their own version of appetizers. In France, they are called hors d’oeuvres, translated as “outside the meal.” An hors d’oeuvre is usually one or two bites in size. A selection of hors d’oeuvres is often served as the only food at cocktail parties where no other food will be offered. They might include canapés (decorative bite-size food), crudités (raw vegetables used for dipping), deviled eggs, cheeses, small sausages, and bruschetta.

Spain has tapas, a variety of appetizers that can be hot or cold and are designed to allow for conversation rather than having guests focus solely on their meal. Examples of tapas include a variety of olives, meatballs, calamari, banderillas (pickled vegetables), and chorizo smothered in sauce.

The Chinese developed an entire cuisine around the idea of bite-sized food. Dim sum was created more than a hundred years ago in the Canton region and served at teahouses for weary travelers to eat with their tea. Dumpling or potstickers, bau (steamed buns filled with meat and vegetables), mini hoisin-glazed spareribs, and spring rolls are a small sampling of what is available.

When we think of Italian food, antipasto, meaning “before the pasta,” immediately jumps to mind. Antipasto (plural antipasti) is more of an appetizer rather than an hors d’oeuvre as it is the traditional first course of an Italian meal. This usually includes cured meats, olives, pepperoncini, mushrooms, artichoke hearts, and various cheeses.
In the Balkan region they have meze, similar to Spanish tapas. They are small appetizers served with a beverage, such as a liqueur or wine. Meze can include cheese, kajmak (clotted cream or sour cream), salami, ham, sausages, various breads, hard boiled eggs, olives, and a red pepper spread.


How to get started

When putting together a cocktail party, it can be difficult to figure out how much food to make, especially if you are serving a variety of hors d’oeuvres. Here is a guideline to follow during your menu-planning stage.

•  HOW MANY TYPES OF HORS D’OEUVRES?
    For up to 25 guests, plan on 5 to 6 different kinds of hors d’oeuvres. For 25 to 50, increase that number to 9 to 10 different kinds.

•    HOW MANY BITES (PIECES) OF FOOD?
    Estimate between 10 to 12 bites per person if that is the only food served. If there is to be more food, such as at a progressive party, count on 5 to 7 bites per person.

    A standard formula used by caterers is to take the number of bites per person and multiply that by the number of guests. That number is then divided by the number of different hors d’oeuvres being served.

    Here’s an example for those who are mathmatically-challenged like me:

7 x 26 = 182

182 ÷ 5 = 36

    36 is the number of pieces of each kind of hors d’oeuvre being served, for example 36 meatballs, 36 deviled eggs, 36 potstickers, etc.

    When creating a menu, remember to provide a variety of foods. You want your dishes to be visually appealing as well as having the flavors complement each other. Also, young people eat more than older people, and those at a casual affair eat more than at a formal function.

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