Catering with canapes
Canapés are defined in some old dictionaries as pieces of fried French bread with pate or some such ingredient. Well, how they have changed! As you read this you will realize that canapés are not as dull as this definition suggests. They are tempting mouthfuls of flavour to prepare – it is the attention to flavour, colour and presentation that make these canapés look and taste so delicious!
Eventuate try to use a wide range of different foods, giving you a selection of meat, fish and vegetarian canapés to serve to your guests.
The main reasons for giving a party are to get friends and family together and for the sheer enjoyment of it. A party should never be hard work or a hassle. Using these recipes you should find you are able to prepare and serve a wide range of delicious canapés to your guests and still enjoy the party. With various tips on presentation and styling your friends will be amazed at your culinary skills.
Canapés can set the tone for your party from the very beginning. Delicious mouthfuls, served with an aperitif before dinner, put us all in a good mood for the evening ahead. If, on the other hand, they are, as it were the main event on occasions when a full meal does not follow the party, then eye-catching and fragrant nibbles, such as stem ginger and king prawn skewers, quail’s egg, basil and sun-dried tomato skewers or bruschetta with rare roast beef and coriander cream cheese, will tempt the taste buds than compensate for lunch or dinner. They can help the conversation along and make your party all the more memorable.
The Eventuate team have travelled extensively, tasting and cooking food all over the world, and our cooking has drawn on the valuable influences from a worldwide cuisine. We have a passion for cooking and have worked together over many years. Eventuate have designed, created and made hundreds of different canapés for occasions both great and small.
Equipment
A good craftsman can always work better with the right tools. It is essential to have a huge selection of kitchen equipment to prepare canapés, but a few key items will help get the job done quicker and make life much easier for you.
Here are a few utensils we can’t do without in our kitchen:
- Kitchen knives
- Chopping board
- Pots and pans
- Baking sheets and trays
- Scales and measuring jugs
- Electric appliances
- Palette knives
- Plastic spatulas
- Squeeze bottles
Ingredients
It is always a good idea to have a few basic ingredients stored in your kitchen so that uninvited guests turn up on your doorstep you can quickly whip up some tasty canapés We have listed some of the things that we like to keep to hand but that doesn’t mean you should rush out and buy them all at once! You will slowly build up a well stocked kitchen, depending on what your personal favourites are. It’s always a good idea to have a good selection of fresh vegetables about so you can make a quick dip. Some varieties are perfect for canapés, especially miniature vegetables such as cherry tomatoes and baby corn. Fresh herbs are always a lovely thing to have your kitchen ledge, they look good, smell lovely and can make a big difference to your canapés. Every kitchen should have garlic, good olive oil, sea salt and freshly ground black pepper. Fresher the better.
Presentation
Presentation is crucial with canapés. They should look good as well as taste delicious. These days there are so many interior and kitchen shops that sell amazing plates, bowls, boards and dishes.
If you have taken the trouble to make beautiful canapés you might as well make thenm look as good as possible on some attractive dishes.
White ceramic plates and dishes are classy and timeless elegant, and just use the canapés as decoration. Or you could experiment with different ideas. Use coloured napkins under your food to bring out the particular colour in it.
If your canapés have an oriental theme perhaps use some bamboo theme. Don’t just use plain white ramekins for dips and sauces: shop around and get some small shallow colourful dipping bowls. Chinese and Japanese shops usually have some great bowls and plates.
Use your imagination to put your individual to put your own individual mark on your party. Your guests will be impressed by your imagination and style, and will appreciate the effort you have taken.
It is best not to bring all the food out all at once, or to push dishes around the room on small tables with wobbly legs. Much better to hand your canapés around personally, or ask some helpers to do so. For an evening drinks party we would normally estimate that you need about six to eight bites per person, but it all depends on your opinion of your gusts appetites, budget and nature of the party.