From the elegant canapés you’ll find at swanky tea parties and backyard croquet tournaments, to the heavy hors d’oeuvres your Uncle Ted can’t get enough of at afternoon weddings, to the cheese trays and appetizer extravaganzas served at nearly every American Super Bowl party-it doesn’t matter what you call it … just don’t call it late to the party. Today, the notion of just what kind of dish constitutes an appetizer is as varied as the kinds of parties we serve them at. And by 1918, the Fannie Farmer cookbook contained a section of party-appropriate finger foods, including Cheese Wafers. As drinks before dinner became the fashion, hosts began serving appetizers as well. The word appetizer first appeared in the United States and England in 1860. While historians debate the origin of the appetizer, we can safely say that cheese appetizers have been a part of the American party scene for well over 100 years. I like you more than chips and salsa.” They say, “I like you so much, I turned on the stove for you.” Or maybe they just say, “This cheese dip is way too addictive to eat alone. When it’s party time, cheese appetizers are always the whey to go.
