The Mighty Hors d’oeuvres

Appetizer recipes vary to a large extent. In fact there are some aficionados who claim the possibility of a new appetizer every single day throughout the year. Well sounds interesting or rather tempting!

Let’s get few details about appetizers in place before we go ahead:

• Appetizers commonly referred to as Hors d’oeuvres are served in the first course. However few variations can also be served as entrée or along with the main course.
• Hors d’oeuvres are classified into classical and general categories.
• Both the categories have their specialities that include a particular style of service and cutlery or tableware.

• The classical hors d’ oeuvres have seven delicacies:

• Grapefruit
• Melon
• Juices
• Seafood cocktail
• Oyster
• Caviar
• Snails

• An assorted list of general hors d’oeuvres would be:

• Asparagus
• Corn on the cob
• Salads
• Canapés
• Pate
• Kebabs
• Kromeskies
• Fish preparations such as anchovies, smoked eel, mackerel
• Meat preparations such as foie gras, ham and salami of all sorts
• Eggs that could be poached, hard boiled or cut into two
• Avocado
• Artichokes
• Potted shrimps

If you happen to travel often or like trying new dishes around the globe you would notice that every region or community has its own list of best appetizer recipes. I personally experienced this quite often and every time I come across a new appetizer I’m generally tempted!

The fun part lies in the fact that you may be served ten different varieties in the same community. This is primarily possible as the salads and meat/fish/egg preparations can never ever be counted. They are simply too many to be listed and so the easier way out is to try a new recipe every day!

One of my aunts is a big foodie and so on her fortieth birthday we decided to gift a cook book that would keep her engaged happily for a while. To our eternal surprise we realized that in a month’s time she had mastered almost fifty different recipes.

Of the fifty about twenty of those are variations of shrimp appetizer recipes. We all have decided to attack her this Thanksgiving so we could taste at least a dozen of them.

I guess that’s quite an achievement. As far as I know there are certain things one needs to check while buying shrimps. Also there are certain storage and cooking details regarding shrimps that one should be well versed with. It seems aunt has worked on this as well; and that’s quite a good job done.

I have seen or know only a few shrimp recipes. I guess it’s time to know more. Just to share the least that I know:

• Avocado shrimp cocktail
• Chili lime shrimp
• BBQ shrimp
• Peppered shrimp spread
• Pickled shrimp
• Shrimp skewers
• Spicy marinated shrimp

Well I can’t wait to try the new ones, do come over if you feel tempted!