If you're going to drink the morning, you should probably have a snack too

February 25, 2012 10:18 AM

We are having a brunch reception following a church wedding - the groom and I will likely be delayed by 30-45 minutes by photos and greetings so we want to have some sort of cocktail hour. We have the drinks sorted out, bloody marys and a mimosa bar, along with tea, coffee, etc, but we are stuck on what to serve as a light, savory snack during that time.

We know we want mini muffins, but I would also like to have something not-sweet.

Complication - it can't require any prep work on the day of the wedding (it will be too early!) so it has to be served room temperature.

Also, the main meal will be a variety of sweet and savory pies and tarts (with salad and fruit) so I don't want to do mini-quiche as an appetizer (which would otherwise be a great option).

I need inspiration - any suggestions for prep-free food as a brunch appetizer?

posted by cessair to food & drink (25 answers total)

shrimp cocktail? cheese sticks? (the breadstick kind, not the fried kind) fruit platter?
posted by sexyrobot at 10:22 AM on February 25

Lox
posted by jeb at 10:24 AM on February 25 [3 favorites]

Mixes of those little Japanese rice crackers
posted by jquinby at 10:28 AM on February 25 [2 favorites]

Ooh yeah and seconding bagel & lox, with capers, tomatoes, onions. Deeelish.
posted by masquesoporfavor at 10:31 AM on February 25

Gougeres. They're little cheesy puffs of awesome, in a classy way.

Possibly deviled eggs? You could prep them the night before and store them in the fridge until it's time to go.
posted by rebekah at 10:32 AM on February 25 [5 favorites]

Savory mini-muffins?
posted by insectosaurus at 10:32 AM on February 25 [1 favorite]

Savory scones! (sorry, I love brunch foods, man!)
posted by masquesoporfavor at 10:33 AM on February 25 [1 favorite]

How about mini finger tea sandwiches (white bread, no crusts): chicken salad, cucumber and cream cheese, smoked salmon, ham and butter.
posted by biscuits at 10:34 AM on February 25 [2 favorites]

If you go with deviled eggs, just delegate someone to pipe the filling into the eggs on the morning of your big day. It keeps them from getting soggy/sticking to cling wrap/drying out.

I just put the yolk mixture into a ziplock bag for overnight in the fridge, then snip off a corner to squeeze it out.

Other suggestion - dips with veggies. There's a picture on pinterest of little condiment cups with a little dip in them and am assortment of veggie sticks. This prevents the need for serving spoons and lakes of dip on the day of.

Depending on the number of people, maybe an Edible Arrangements type of fruit thing? This might require more toothpicks than you want to see in the days leading up to your wedding.

Bruschetta?
posted by bilabial at 10:46 AM on February 25 [1 favorite]

Some sort of scone/biscuit with cheddar. Like this.
posted by olinerd at 10:47 AM on February 25 [3 favorites]

Enthusiastically seconding gougeres.
posted by desuetude at 10:52 AM on February 25 [1 favorite]

I wouldn't underestimate the amount of prep work involved in finger sandwiches.

I love the gougeres option, especially if you get someone else (with sufficient baking experience) to bake them for you!
posted by Ms. Next at 11:00 AM on February 25 [1 favorite]

I would not eat room-temp deviled eggs -- no way, no how. Bagels, lox, and mini-quiches sound great, though!
posted by runningwithscissors at 11:09 AM on February 25 [1 favorite]

Tip: gougeres sliced in half (or almost in half) make adorable, delicious sandwiches. They're so light that it doesn't need much inside - a folded slice of ham, a slice of salami, a little dollop of egg salad, cucumber/cream cheese spread. You could even put them out in a make-your-own arrangement.

Next-day gougeres are a little oily, not quite as ethereally puffy, but they're still pretty and delicious. Make some batches with a strong orange cheddar and others with a white cheese, it makes for a nice variation in color.
posted by Lyn Never at 11:11 AM on February 25

Deviled eggs will be fine as long as someone takes them out of the fridge -- already prepped -- right before serving and plonks them on the table. I make mine the night before ALWAYS, since they're better the next day.

What about melon wrapped in prosciutto? Or asparagus wrapped in prosciutto? Or BOTH. Also, you could do a cheese plate.
posted by Countess Sandwich at 11:29 AM on February 25 [2 favorites]

Seconding cheese straws. Haven't heard of gougeres before but they sound good too!
posted by bquarters at 11:30 AM on February 25 [1 favorite]

Open sandwiches? Requires some prep but that can be done the day before.
posted by Laura_J at 12:04 PM on February 25

Veggies and/or pita triangles with hummus?
posted by spinifex23 at 12:34 PM on February 25 [2 favorites]

hummus/carrots would be great. also, crackers and cheese. maybe deviled eggs?
posted by spunweb at 12:43 PM on February 25

Olives, cornichones, cheese, and crackers. Choose the cheeese carefully for ease of use.

Knowing more about the venue would help- is there a fridge handy, do you have a trusted agent who can get in there and get a basic set-up going, etc.

Skip the fruit, it is there in the brunch course.
posted by vrakatar at 1:01 PM on February 25

Mini pot stickers or dumplings. Costco has them in bags (get the small kind), they are great and can be prepared ahead, just don't over cook them. Serve with a mix of soy sauce + sesame oil + Tabasco + chopped chives.

Shrimp on a stick - just put a couple of peeled boiled shrimp on a skewer, serve with cocktail sauce. You can get the shrimp precooked.
posted by fifilaru at 2:15 PM on February 25

Salted nuts
posted by corey flood at 2:25 PM on February 25 [1 favorite]

Mini ham biscuits, preferably with Smithfield ham.
posted by ImproviseOrDie at 11:18 PM on February 25

Cheese straws. Or pimento cheese sandwiches. Or a few types of pickles - go beyond cukes & look at things like pickled watermelon rinds, etc. As you can probably tell, I'm southern, but there's a wealth of possibilities in traditional Southern appetizers. Many were designed with little refrigeration in mind and can be made ahead of time.
posted by muirne81 at 7:22 AM on February 26

Mini bacon scallion corn muffins, yum!
posted by amileighs at 10:33 AM on February 27