Bite-size delights

Canapés have an important role to play at parties, says Sue Lawrence. But keep them simple

Canapés have evolved throughout the last century. From the end of the Victorian and during the Edwardian era, there was a sense of glamour and sophistication at parties, with many culinary influences coming directly from France – or at least from Londonbased Escoffier.

Champagne was a favourite drink of Edward VII and so presumably increased in popularity at court then at social gatherings. And delicacies such as angels and devils on horseback (oysters and chicken livers or prunes wrapped in bacon) – originally served as savouries after dessert – were also proffered with pre-prandial bubbly.

Farmed oysters are not expensive – and, combined with something as simple as a quality sausage, make for the most wonderful canapé.

In the post-war era in the 1920s and early 1930s the cocktail party flourished, with flappers and frivolity going hand in hand. Cocktail food truly came into its own at this time with fish and meat-topped tartlets and toasts – and blinis with caviar for the rich. Canapés were refined and oh-so fashionable.

Then came the austerities of the Second World War and the 1960s with their vol-au-vents, sausage rolls and cheese-and-pineapple on sticks.

True, the prawn cocktail years were memorable – but not for all its creations. Large grapefruit stabbed all over with cubes of cheese and pineapple chunks or pickled onions on sticks were served with advocaat and lemonade. Vol-au-vents were filled with thick, globby chicken sauce from tins; sausage ro...

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• By : Sue Lawrence
• In : Food
• Issue : 24
• Page : 48
• Words : 1,004