This December, caterers are culling from the classics to create familiar hors d’oeuvre with a twist. Here, the most stylish and sumptuous small bites
Mac-and-cheese Chef Evan Wright’s haute iteration combines pasta, house-cured bacon and sharp old cheddar. It was a hit with the ladies who lunch at a recent Forest Hill fundraiser. To Go, 416-921-1717.
Pumpkin soup shooters Drinking these exquisite creations feels a little like defacing art (the garnish is made from radish seedlings, candied beets and edible gold leaf), until you realize they taste even better than they look. Lindsey Shaw, 416-926-9133.
Spinach salad The greens are dressed in a tart raspberry vinaigrette and topped off with a two-bite brie crostino that puts lowly croutons to shame. Plus, everything tastes better in a Chinese takeaway box. Bite, 416-222-2483.
Annatto pan-seared scallops The peppery annatto seasoning plays well against the smooth guac (gussied up with apple and cucumber). The Chinese soup spoons make tricky hand-to-mouth issues a moot point. Sabrosito, 416-624-9157.
Buckwheat blini These treats are 100-Mile Diet approved: the buckwheat flower, duck and goat’s milk cheese are all Ontario born and bred. They may account for the Leafs’ early winning streak; Dish became the official caterer to the boys in blue this year. Dish, 416-920-5559.
Oysters Rockefeller smores The Mad Men–era classic gets a lusciously campy make-over: the rich, gooey middle is a savoury, spinach-flavoured marshmallow. Daniel et Daniel, 416-968-9275.
BLT éclairs Who wants whipped cream when you can have double-smoked bacon? The buttery choux makes an ideal shell for one of the world’s most beloved sandwich combos. Salt and Pepper, 416-924-0715.
Chèvre truffles Crunchy endive makes a perfect vessel for its rich contents (which also includes chili pralines and fig jelly). These snacks have pedigree; they’ve been served at a private dinner for Bill Clinton, a National Ballet gala and several TIFF soirées. Eatertainment, 416-964-1162.
Bud Light Lime coconut shrimp Chef Jason Smidt got the idea one afternoon while enjoying his citrusy beer of choice. The dijon-horseradish marmalade is good enough to gulp. Jay Caterers, 647-345-3386.
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Courtney Shea is a freelance journalist in Toronto. She started her career as an intern at Toronto Life and continues to contribute frequently to the publication, including her 2022 National Magazine Award–winning feature, “The Death Cheaters,” her regular Q&As and her recent investigation into whether Taylor Swift hung out at a Toronto dive bar (she did not). Courtney was a producer and writer on the 2022 documentary The Talented Mr. Rosenberg, based on her 2014 Toronto Life magazine feature “The Yorkville Swindler.”