Three Classic Appetizers For Small Party Entertaining

You've got a small dinner party of close friends or business associates, and you want to make the best impression you can; so try some unusual and classic appetizers before the main meal! You Gotta Show Heart!

You are pretty much announcing to your friends your total indifference if you have a buffet of chips, nuts and pretzels; the rest of your dinner, no matter how fancy or excellent you may make it, is only a show of hospitality.

If you want your party to gain warmth, charm and elegance, try the appetizers recipes that follow.

They were culled from numerous restaurants, most notably Pruniers in London (long since closed) and the kitchen of Graham Kerr (the Galloping Gourmet of the 1970s). Theyve also been in my family for generations, so they can be called classic. Plus theyre easy.

The Onion Sandwich - Slice an onion (red is the best and most pungent variety) and a hothouse tomato, as thinly for both of them as you can. Place onion slices on a round of bread (buttermilk or whole grain) and season with salt and pepper; place second round on top and sandwich them. Spread the edges of the bread with mayo to seal them; roll in parsley or parmesan cheese.

If you like your appetizers hot, you can broil them at medium temperature for a few minutes, each side, then just before serving, decorate the plate with tomato slices and parsley.

These are great with any drink made with vodka, and the only people who dont like them are people with a seductive get together afterwards with someone not at the dinner.

Scallops and Sesame - Melt a half stick of butter and mix it with a tablespoon of lemon juice. Season the butter with salt and pepper; slide a pound of fresh scallops into this mixture, turning them several times to coat them. Cut up some bacon slices (usually just one cut in half will do it) eight or so, to make a total of sixteen cuts.

Now take the marinated scallops, wrap an uncooked bacon slice around each (this should make a least a dozen to 16 of these appetizers), secure it with a toothpick and roll it in sesame seeds. At medium temperature, broil them until the bacon is crisp (about five minutes); you should turn them once after three minutes.

These are great with any wine, liquor or beer.

Crostini - Remove the crusts from eight slices of bread; slice each piece of bread into 4 fingers. Thinly slice a pound of mozzarella cheese and open a can of anchovies. Put a thin slice of mozzarella on a bread finger and top with an anchovy fillet. Sprinkle on a little oregano.

You can leave the fingers open face and broil them until toasty, or you can sandwich this with another bread slice and pan fry them in butter.

Great with chianti (and your guests will be thirsty after eating them!)

Hopefully these easy appetizers recipes will work out for you, first time, and the appetizers that result will make your party a roaring success!