Apps in a snap

cool bites for hot days

if you follow this column regularly you may notice that my tastes swerve towards the “oddly delicious” side of things. I cook from the hip, society be damned. I’m not going to let the man keep me dow … yes, the sweltering heat was getting to me when drop-by guests meant cooling drinks and instant appetizers. Whether you make one or make them all, I think you’ll agree that these cool appies take under five minutes to prepare and under three to eat. Here’s a rough guide on how to make them.

For Celery Caesar you’ll need celery sticks, cream cheese, anchovy paste, Worcestershire sauce, capers and black pepper. Clean and dry celery ribs. Mix together some cream cheese with anchovy paste to taste and a few drops of Worcestershire until smooth. Spread into celery ribs, then slice into bite-sized chunks. dot with a few capers and grind some black pepper overtop.

For Pink & Bleu you’ ll need chunks of cold, seedless watermelon, some crumbly blue cheese, a drizzle of good, grassy olive oil, and a sprinkle of finishing salt. Just chop, crumble, drizzle, sprinkle and enjoy!

For Cucumber Crudite you’ ll need english cucumber, honeydew melon, Dijon, pitted olives, maple syrup and chives. Slice cucumber into rounds and cut melon into small pieces. Spread top of each round with a dab of dijon, place a melon chunk on mustard and half an olive on top of that. drizzle with maple syrup and snip some chives overtop.