SELF-CATERING FINGER FOOD FOR PARTIES
Review by Barb & Ron Kroll
Bite by Bite - 100 stylish little plates you can make for any party
(Clarkson Potter) ISBN 978-0307718792 0307718794
Peter Callahan shows you how to throw a party with finger foods, ranging from mini-appetizers to bite-sized food for main courses and desserts. The party cookbook includes pictures of food presentation and instructions on garnishing.
Self-catering finger food is easy for home cooks with this NYC caterer's party food menus, recipes for food lollipops, theme party ideas and food presentation photos.
Ideas for finger foods
The 256-page party cookbook is organized by type of finger food, from food lollipops and cones to bite-size food for breakfast and dessert. Peter Callahan introduces each chapter and party recipe with plating ideas and suggestions for garnishes.
For example, in his bite-sized BBQ chicken appetizer, the owner of Callahan Catering suggests branding each chicken bite with a letter (to add char-grilled flavor) and serving them on lollipop sticks in a tray of wheatgrass.
Party appetizers
Most of the 100 recipes in Bite by Bite include sidebars with make-ahead ideas and cooking tips, e.g., use hard-boiled egg yolks to make the filling for deviled quail eggs, because their tiny yolks are hard to remove.
The party finger food recipes include descriptions and photos of food presentation, e.g., serving miniature vegetable spring rolls in cucumber holders.
Color photos by Con Poulos depict Bite by Bite recipes and show home cooks how to present food for parties.
Theme party menus
One chapter provides finger food menus for theme parties, ranging from Kosher party menus to kids' party food. Peter Callahan's finger food recipes can be used for self-catering New Year's Eve cocktail parties, bridal showers and dessert parties.
A resources page includes websites where you can buy lollipop sticks, smoked sea salt, wasabi caviar and other ingredients for party finger foods.
Sample finger food recipes
Baked beans in bacon cups. Mango shrimp lollipops. Chicken Parmesan lollipops. Lamb and mint pesto lollipops. Crab in potato cones. Foie gras truffles. Salmon tarts. Short rib burgers with onion rings. Lobster potato petits fours. Grilled vegetables in plantain cones. Sweet frites. Oatmeal creme brûlée. Limoncello popsicles. Bourbon pecans. Mint-tini. Pomegranate mojito.
Contents
- Foreward by Martha Stewart
- Introduction
- Kitchen Tools & Conveniences
- Comfort Foods
- Shots & Bites
- Lollipops, Cones & more
- Classics Reinterpreted
- Minis Go Main
- Hors d'oeuvres for Breakfast
- Dessert
- Open Bar
- Themes & Menus
- Resources
- Index
Suthors
Peter Callahan, owner of Callahan Catering in New York City, started the trend to mini-appetizers and bite-sized party desserts. Raquel Pelzel is co-author of Lorena Garcia's New Latin Classics.