"Hors d'oeuvre: A Ham Sandwich Cut into 40 Pieces."-Jack Benny


  Shrimp Satay Skewer Shooters with Thai Spicy Peanut Sauce
 Recipe HERE
 
So today is the official start of my Art of Entertaining series. The table is set and our manners are in place. Now, it’s time for the party. No matter what type of party you are having… Cocktail, brunch, baby shower, bridal shower, holiday, wedding, dinner, luncheon, or funeral :-), you have to have appetizers. It would be gauche and rude not to and everyone will hate you. Appetizers/hors d’oeuvres are the fun part of the party. It’s where you can get a little bit creative. Some new trends have been emerging in the world of appetizers. Today, let’s talk about this new fad of appetizers called “shooters.”

 I am all about these shooters, even though the name is super white trash. Gone are the days of messy appetizers on napkins. Shooters are the new black. It seems like it is a “classic with a twist” phenomenon. Grilled cheese sandwich/tomato soup shooters, French toast shooters, french fry shooters… Comfort food “movin’ on up” like the Jeffersons. I think it’s rather genius and you know what, I would assume that all the men at the party would love this because it’s familiar, flavorful and easy. Women, I would assume, would like it as well because it’s not going to spill all over their new Lanvin cocktail dress. Let’s take a look…


Caesar Salad Shooters


Panko Crusted Shrimp with Chive Aioli
Recipe HERE


Veggie Shooters
Recipe HERE

Chicken Skewers Shooters
 

 
Banana Cream Pie Shooters
Recipe HERE

Tomato Soup Shooters With Mini Grilled Cheese
 
 Cucumber Lime Gazpacho Shooters with Seared Ahi Tuna on Crisp Tortilla

Spring Rolls with Soy Sauce Shooters
 
Clam Cakes with New England Clam Chowder Shooters
Recipe HERE
 
Powdered Doughnuts with Milk Shooters

Chocolate Chip Cookie with Milk Shooters

Yellow Tomato Gazpacho Shooters with Basil Crab Salad Crostinis
 
French Toast with Syrup Shooters
Recipe HERE
 


French Fries with Sauce Shooters
Recipe HERE

Aren’t those fabulous! But here’s the thing… You’ve got to be careful with these shooters. Here are a few rules…
 
       Serve them fast and fresh.

Be cognizant of texture. These little shooters can get mushy fast. You don’t want that.

Always offer a spoon. It’s not a tequila shot for God sake.

Mix shooters with other appetizers. It would be too contrived to have all shooters. Remember, it’s all about the juxtaposition.

Take a classic and embellish it a bit. For example, take the classic grilled cheese and tomato soup and take it up a notch. Maybe use Gruyere cheese and a yellow heirloom tomato soup with basil.

So that’s it for today. Stay tuned for tomorrow’s post on The Art of Entertaining. Hint: “Mini.”

A toute!

*Since we are on the subject of “shooters” today, it is anyone as appalled as I am regarding the little girl who was allowed to shoot a machine gun at a rifle range and accidentally shot the instructor? WTF! I’m pretty sure the little girl’s parents should have their ill-gotten “parenting license” revoked. By the way, do to you know it’s legal for an eight-year-old to shoot a gun? Yep, good old America. Unbelievable. My prayers go out to the instructor’s family and to the little girl’s retarded parents. Do you know what the name of the rifle range is? Bullets and Burgers. Enough said.

6 comments:

  1. They look yummy!!!
    Beaann Fleming

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  2. In the discussion of Shooters: Food = Fabulous. Guns = Tragedy! WTF doesn't begin to describe how irresponsible the parents were to allow a child with a firearm in the first place. I am from Texas and a woman but and yes learned about guns. At age nine I had a BB gun. It would not break skin... But Food is Ab Fab!

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  3. Ok, great post about 'shooters'. Were you intentionally sliding the last bit about the real shooter in? I couldn't believe it when I heard it and wondered why anyone would be surprised that such a thing would happen at a place that so casually lumps guns in with burgers. It is sad and unfortunate that the instructor died, but aren't those the consequences when a child is handed a loaded gun? BTW, it was an Uzi!!?!!

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  4. That a slight, eight-year-old child was allowed to shoot an Uzi, a weapon with a robust recoil that can render it difficult to control, should appall even the most ardent gun rights folks. That an eight-year-old child, or IMHO anyone, was allowed to shoot a weapon of war at a recreational gun range should infuriate and move to action all reasonable people. P.S. Thank you for educating me about the food term "shooters."

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  5. Thanks for this post. One thing I love to do more than anything is bring my favourite people together. My wedding day was great for that but obviously I can't shell out for that level of catering and pizzazz every time I want people around. The thought of entertaining both delights and terrifies me so this series is more helpful than I can express.
    Oh and re: guns... In Australia our gun laws are so strict that even when you see a police officer or security guard carrying one, it's something that gives me this weird, confronted feeling. I don't know what it's like for people in countries where gun laws are not so tight but the gravity of the fact that a potentially deadly weapon is right there on someone's hip isn't lost on us!

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  6. No child deserves to live with that emotional scar of that tragedy. Good or bad parenting, guns really have no place in the hands of a child. Shot glasses, or "shooters" however seem to be right on target.
    pve

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