I’m Loving

Matt Preston goes back in time to when canapes were king.

THIS IS NORMALLY the party issue of delicious. but, to be brutal, there’s not been a lot to celebrate in 2020. Then there’s the whole new-era-party-complexity of navigating what regionally varying advice to follow: how many people can you have round? Do they have to wear masks if they are eating cocktail food? Do they be seated and distanced? Are Victorians allowed yet?

I’ve always believed that two people make a party and with that in mind – even though there is no party issue here – why shouldn’t we have a little celebration about how far party food has come in just a couple of generations?

My 1973 New World Encyclopedia of Cooking has pages of advice about cocktails, but only this to say about the food to serve at cocktail hour: “It should be both delicious and attractive. Two kinds are enough – perhaps a piquant dip served with crisp crackers or potato chips, and a tiny hot appetiser like cheese balls.”

We should probably take the phrase “delicious and attractive” with a grain of iodised table salt. Back then, stylish presentation meant jabbing skewers of cabanossi and cubed tasty cheese into the skin of a halved grapefruit and presenting your piquant spinach dip in a cob loaf. And while Saladas loaded with tinned smoked oysters might taste okay, they are not pretty.

The only thing that seems to have survived from a 1970s canape menu is the devilled egg. This is perhaps thanks to the retro resurgence of the past few years that also saw vol-au-vents, mini quiches and ‘devils on horseback’ ride back into drinks party town. I was happy with two of these, and surely roasted prunes wrapped in bacon was an idea way ahead of its time anyway.

But we have come very far. It is now more likely that those smoked-oyster Saladas have been replaced with a gluten-free curl of smoked salmon sitting on a slice of cucumber topped with a little plush of dill, that cob loaf superceded by a plate of Peking duck wraps or a platter of sushi rolls, and that early hack recipe for ‘nuts ‘n’ bolts’ retired in favour of a bowl of smoked almonds (which must have been a sad day for all that relished cereal and peanuts tossed with packet French onion soup mix).

The big question, however, is what is the future for finger food, canapes and those much-loved ‘horse doovers’ in the new Covid-normal world? Is the party over for party food?

Certainly, I can see a desire to move away from buffet spreads and platters being offered around to be pawed over by the throng. I would expect the growth of serving more small individual dishes – what the caterers call ‘bowl food’, think a pile of one-bite tortellini or a Thai salad – and even the spiced-nut mix purchased from the local gourmet store being served in lots of individual ramekins.

I do see one thing that definitely will not change. Party pies and sausages rolls have been forever there, and will remain.

I remember being quite forcibly told by my exasperated co-host that an Aussie drinks party where party pies and sausage rolls didn’t make an appearance was like “Christmas without Santa”. I’m not sure it even matters what the filling is – vegan, vegetarian or proudly traditional – every Australian knows both these are sacrosanct and I suggest that this ensures their survival. Time will tell whether we end up still handing around a tractor-tyre-sized platter of flaky meat-filled delights with that red nectar of the Gods we call ‘sauce’ on the side for double-dipping, or serving them individually plated with a splodge of fancy homemade tomato relish. Either way, I suspect they will still get the big thumbs-up whether you are throwing a party for two or 20.

Of course, you could just swear off the party circuit altogether and just settle in for good book, a nice cup of tea and a couple of squares of this slice. Simple to bake, it’s the sort of treat that makes staying in a party all of its own.

CARAMELISED HONEY AND ALMOND SLICE MAKES APPROX. 16 SLICES

90g unsalted butter, melted 120g brown sugar

1 cup (150g) plain flour

1/2 cup (70g) almond meal

ALMOND TOPPING

125g unsalted butter

95g runny honey

11/2 cups (200g) slivered almonds

Preheat oven to 170°C. Grease a 19cm x 30cm slice pan and line the base and sides with baking paper. (If you do not have a tray this size, use a similar, smaller pan rather than a large one. This is a thin slice and the mixture may not be enough to fill a large pan.)

Combine the butter, sugar, flour and almond meal in a large bowl and mix well to combine (if the mix seems floury, add a little extra butter). Spread evenly over the base of the prepared pan. Bake for 12-15 minutes until lightly golden. Remove from the oven and stand on a wire rack.

Meanwhile, to make the topping, place the butter and honey in a small heavy-based saucepan over medium heat. Simmer, stirring occasionally, for 3-4 minutes until mixture is lightly caramelised. Stir in the nuts. Pour evenly over the cooked base. Bake for a further 12-15 minutes until golden. Remove and stand on a wire rack and cool completely. Cut into slices to serve.