"appetizer" news and stories

These avocado and chili pepper-shaped serving bowls are just the thing to present your favorite salsa, guacamole or other dip at your SuperBowl party. The covered bowls are made out of ceramic and hand-painted to add the vibrant colors that almost make them look real. Each one includes a cover, a coordinating serving spoon and recipes.

For hot dips, a, electric chip and dip set might come in handy. It has an electric power base that will gently heat the included 22-oz. stoneware crock in the center of the serving plate, ensuring that every dip you serve stays pleasantly warm regardless of how long you need it to sit out. The power base has an on/off switch so that it doesn't have to be left on all the time.

If you want something that is specifically designed for the big game, check out the Wincraft Super Bowl XLI Snack Helmet, which includes a realistic, logo-bearing helmet with two snack bowls: one on top of the helmet and one inside the facemask. It's best for serving chips, pretzels or other dry snacks, but the uppermost bowl has a lid if you choose to use it for a salsa or dip that might need to be covered.

A recipe that is easy and convenient is always going to be welcomed by a busy chef, but if you're really passionate about cooking, sometimes nothing but the very best will do. And when you're looking for gourmet eats, there is no one better to turn to than a gourmet chef. Francois Payard's newest book, Bite Size: Elegant Recipes for Entertaining, contains a collection of stunning hors d'oeuvres that will be the star of any party and tempt even the most jaded palates. The sophisticated tastes are highly refined and, in most cases, are quite time consuming as a result. This might put off cooks looking for something for guests to nosh at a casual gathering, but they are the perfect way to start off a dinner party or a more formal cocktail party, especially if you want to impress.

The book is divided up into chapters according to the focus for each of the "little bites" it presents - meat, vegetables, cheese, etc - and Payard also provides some general hosting and serving tips. The dishes range from Lamb and Tomato Chutney on Cumin Wafers, Sweet Corn Madeleines with Caviar and Crème Fraîche, and White Anchovy and Tomato Crostini to Crab and Mango Salad in Apple Cups and Cauliflower Panna Cotta with Salmon Roe.

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So one of my duties this Christmas at my sister's house (I'm also making this) is to make a cheese and cracker platter that folks can munch on before and after the main meal. I've done them before, but they always turn out to be just very basic cheese and cracker snacks: a couple of different blocks of Kraft cheeses and a few different crackers. A very basic, low-cost type of thing, and it's OK.

But this year I want to do something different. I want to get a really good selection of nice cheeses and several different types of crackers to place around them. So I need your help! What kinds of cheeses and crackers would make a good selection for my family? Any tips or tricks you can give me to make it just a bit more than the usual "cheese and Ritz cracker" affair? Anything besides the cheese and crackers you'd put on the platter too? Fruit? Chocolate?

That pic on the right looks like a cool presentation.

Mushroom caviar is a food that gets its name from a slight resemblance to real caviar, when in fact it is simply a type of dip or spread made with mushrooms - no fish eggs to be found. This version of the recipe was posted by Elise at Simply Recipes and I'm fairly certain I have never seen mushrooms look this good. The caviar is made by sauteeing finely chopped mushrooms with some butter, shallots and a bit of garlic, then topping it off before serving by mixing in some sour cream and toasted pinenuts. It is chilled before serving. Elise served hers with crackers, but I can't help by think that it would be at least as delicious with some sliced baguette pieces. Besides, you can pile more onto a slice of bread than you can onto a cracker, right?

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Fritattas could very well be the most popular brunch food there is. Not only are they relatively easy to prepare, but they are very versatile. You can put almost any combination of meats, cheeses or vegetables into the egg base and turn out a fantastic dish. Fritattas can also be served hot, cold and at room temperature, so they fit easily into party preparation and, when it comes time to serve them, they can be cut into bite sized pieces or meal-worthy wedges. The problem is that many recipes call for both stove-top and oven cooking or specialty cookware. This is not the case with this recipe.

This particular fritatta recipe is one of my favorites. Not only is it simple, but it eliminates any confusion over what sort of pan is best for cooking. The whole thing is poured into a 9x13 Pyrex baking dish and cooked in the oven. The large, finished fritatta can be sliced easily to fit any occasion. And the flavor? With a spinach and feta filling, it tastes just like spanikopita: delicious.