Call them appetizers, canapés, hors d'oeuvres, tapas, antipasto, crostini, finger foods, nibbles or tidbits-delectable bites by any name are perfect for holiday entertaining, when guests outnumber your dining room chairs or the occasion calls for a casual event.
With the holiday mood upon us, seasonal favourites playing in the background and guests keen for a little camaraderie as they answer the call to "come and help trim the tree," it's the perfect time to dish up a variety of appetizers. Just have lots prepared, for tree-trimming is serious business. Climbing a ladder to place the angel at the top is enough to tax any appetite.
Well, almost.
As the host, you'll want your party to run smoothly-and despite its casual mode, it still requires planning. It's best to do most of the preparation in advance so you remain cool and unflustered at party time. Your fridge or freezer will do its part in keeping foods at the ready.
Meatballs, always a favourite, are good candidates for sub-zero storage, as are the bases for Mushroom Appetizer Cups and Blue Jays. Dessert, in the form of Fruitcake Brownies, can also be baked ahead and frozen. Other appetizers, including fillings and sauces, can be made a day or two in advance and refrigerated.
If you want to include an element of surprise, serve the Chocolate Chip Cheese Spread with social tea biscuits for dessert. My tasters loved it.
With the food-and drinks-taken care of, you'll want to concentrate on the tree that's to be trimmed. One of the first recorded instances in Canada of decorating an evergreen tree with candles, ribbons, cranberries and cookies took place in Halifax, in 1846. Local merchant William Pryor wanted to please his wife by following a practice long-established in her homeland, Germany. The trend took hold and before long the decorated tree had spread its branches across Canada and beyond.
In preparation for tree trimming, it's wise to have the tree solidly positioned a couple of days beforehand, replenishing water daily, so the tree is warm, relaxed and ready to receive its bells and baubles. Lights should be tested and replaced; strings untangled so as not to delay the task. (You may even want to have the lights placed on the tree in advance.) Your favourite ornaments should be unpacked and laid out for easy access… and be sure to find a place for any ornaments friends may bring as gifts.
With all of this done, it should take, let's see, about 15 minutes to finish the job. Which leaves lots of time for nibbling, as you gaze upon your handiwork.