Cold appetizers - a mandatory attribute of the holiday table. On weekdays without such snacks too, of course, it can not do, but just for a festive meal hostess trying to prepare something special. A huge variety of recipes for appetizers of fish, meat, vegetables, eggs and allow to make a holiday unforgettable.

Hot or cold

Snacks - is dishes served at the beginning of lunch or dinner. These foods should not saturate, but rather to awaken the appetite of the participants of the meal. The composition of the snack table in different cultures may vary considerably, but in almost all countries are required snacks menu item.

Snacks often called light meals are served as an accompaniment to some drinks. Such snacks problem is somewhat different: they must not only stimulate the appetite, as to emphasize the taste of the drink. When it comes to alcoholic beverages, is properly fitted and snacks are needed in order to slow down the process of intoxication.

Snacks are served for drinks, do not usually do too complicated. They require careful preparation and exquisite decor. Important in these snacks - convenience. It is desirable that the dishes that are served as an accompaniment to drinks, you can eat with your hands without the risk of getting dirty.

Traditionally snacks can be divided into hot and cold, and the second type is much more popular than the first. This is primarily due to the fact that almost always cold snacks can be prepared in advance. So you can release your precious time just before the festive lunch or dinner when the hostess especially a lot of hassle.

Another significant advantage of cold appetizers - a variety of recipes. Salads of meat, fish, vegetables, mushrooms or eggs; aspic or jelly Aspic. Royal dainties ; stuffed eggs; pates; tartlets; rolls; sandwiches - a list of types of cold dishes is endless. A huge range of cold snacks makes it easy to please all guests. It often happens that people are going to the table with different food preferences, one does not eat fish, the other is allergic to eggs, the third vegetarian, the fourth has to follow a diet and so on. A rich and varied snack table - is a simple way to feed everyone.

General principles of the snack table for a celebration

The lavish celebrations, the more cold snacks should be on the table. But even if the number of starters is limited, it is important that the dishes were varied both in composition and form submission. For example, well, if the table will sandwiches and pies, and salads, and the filler. So the table would look richer, and guests will be plenty to choose from. Raw materials for snacks should also be different: it is not necessary to prepare a salad three fish and seafood, unless it is a thematic party in honor of the holiday of Neptune. Much better would look meat, fish and vegetable cold snacks.

All kinds of meat, fish or cheese plate - it's beautiful and delicious, but it's still a little bit boring. Much more impressive look smaller portioned salads or snacks - for example, rolls of ham with cheese or eggplant with carrots. If the budget is limited to the holiday, the perfect solution would be sandwiches: they allow you to create the illusion of a rich and varied table, and in addition, provide a guarantee that guests are sure to be satisfied with the proposed dishes. From one jar of caviar, packaging salty red fish and a few slices of various deli meats, and a variety of vegetables, fruits and herbs can be prepared in a mountain of sandwiches Sandwiches. Pros and cons .

Sandwiches, tarts and other nutritious snacks are good if the meal will not last too long, and guests will be offered a relatively small set of dishes. If the celebration is going to be a long and cold snacks - only the first item in a long menu, it is better to give preference to lighter dishes. Otherwise guests naedyatsya to dump even before the table will be served dessert.

Snacks must be in harmony with the drinks. The larger species are not as fast food, the greater should be the choice of wines, juices, mineral water. If the table has a snack fish meals, you need to offer guests a dry white wine, red meat suit dry red wine with cold dishes from a bird or a rabbit - pink. Well suited for snacks and aperitifs. Juices should also be several types, guests had the opportunity to choose. But vodka in the beginning of the meal - not the best choice: it is recommended to start with a beverage with the lowest alcohol content, gradually moving to a more robust.

Festive meals are usually beautifully decorated. Some people prefer a fancy decor, while others prefer the simple, elegant ornaments with sprigs of greenery, olives, slices of vegetables.

Not only holiday

Festive table without cold snacks is impossible to imagine, but in normal days, many forget about this element of the meal. Meanwhile, snacks on the table are always appropriate, because they perfectly prepare the body to receive food. Of course, snacks "every day" could be more simple than the holidays. They are not necessarily intricately decorating, and the number of such snacks can be significantly limited compared to a gala dinner. Items such snacks can also be easier to choose, for example, refuse to volovanov with black caviar and meat delicacies in favor of fresh vegetable salads Vegetable salads: the generous gift of nature   or pickled vegetables.

Vegetable salads - ideal daily snack. They are tasty, low-calorie and helpful. In winter and spring, when the vegetables in the diet becomes a little vegetable snacks have become something more than just food, causing appetite. They also help fight spring hypovitaminosis and provide the body with essential minerals.

Maria Bykov

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