A selection of tasty nibbles is a stylish way to cater for a drinks party, writes Hugo Arnold.
Small plates, bites, finger food, canapés - over the next few weeks most of us will have to provide food that doesn't fall into the full meal category. Half the battle is settling on a theme. Choose one cuisine, and don't blast your guests with tandoori chicken one minute and sushi the next.
Spanish food is emerging as a force, and in a few of my favourite bars in Barcelona there is little ceremony attached to the delivery of small bites. Clams are served straight off the grill, doused in sherry, olive oil and garlic, and slices of just-grilled bread are scraped with garlic and moistened with fresh tomato. This is a place where anchovies from a tin are something to be proud of, and where ham is hand-sliced from a joint that sits on the bar.
If you choose to serve tapas, let the food speak for itself. Roasted red peppers on a piece of toast beat a shop-bought canapé. Puff pastry, rolled and cut into squares and baked, can provide an alternative to bread, as can leaves. Chicory is rigid enough to hold a filling, and Little Gem lettuce is pitted with crevices for sauces and oils. Sliced cucumber can work, but avoid discs - too dated. Root vegetables - cauliflower, carrots, celery and even beetroot - can be dipped into sauces for a refreshing alternative. Tortilla, that simple combination of potato, onion and egg, is another stylish contributor to a tapas feast, and improves if it is allowed to rest a little. Small bowls of soup are another good idea. If you have espresso cups to serve it in, so much the better. Consider mushroom splashed with a little sherry, or pumpkin given added kick with ginger.