Once upon a time, people had dinner parties and sometimes formal dinners in their homes, complete with pre-meal appetizers. Hosting a dinner party at home was a big deal. It wasn't unusual to do it around a particular celebration like a birthday, graduation, or promotion. But sometimes you did it just because you felt like it.
Appetizers were always part of the event. Hors d'oeuvres (or as my Dad would pronounce it: horse doovers) were interchangeable with appetizers. Unlike in today's restaurants, appetizers weren't a salad or some soup. They were small canapés or finger foods obtained from a table or passed around. Salads and soups were their own course, separate from the appetizer.
Cookbooks and "how to" books often included a section just for home parties, including an appetizer or hors d'oeuvres section. Today's cookbooks? Not so much. People still get together for a family meal, to watch a ballgame, or just to "hang out," but entertaining isn't what it used to be. It's no longer the production it once was. Ladies don't wear smart aprons with the dress they wore to the event, and men no longer wear suits to dine out.
But the memories of those days are still fresh in the minds of those who lived them or, if a child like I was, wished to have them. My parents didn't throw those kinds of parties. We weren't the "upper-crust," but we did have good meals, and I can't fault them for that AT ALL!
These appetizers are from a variety of sources, and I hope you like them. Some are more modern than others, but they're great for church social events or even snacking at home. Enjoy!