French Appetizers

Here you will find recipes for French appetizers. Do not confuse these with the first course, which is often served as a prelude to the main course, at a French lunch or dinner. These appetizers are made to be eaten at cocktail hour or before actually sitting down for the meal.

Balance your appetizers with your meal

As always with cooking and serving food in the French style, consider balance. If you are making appetizers for an event where dinner is not included, include lots of tasty and filling noshes, both warm and cold. Your guests will be grateful to find enough to eat so that if the event lasts late, they don't have to worry about dinner afterwards.

If on the other hand, you will be serving a heavy dinner soon after appetizers, go lightly. I've made the mistake more than once of going overboard on the appetizers and found myself with less than enthusiastic eaters at the dinner table. On the other hand if you want to stretch things out, go right ahead and serve a hearty appetizer and wait on dinner a bit.

---

Entertaining tip

If you always have a stock of nuts, crackers and olives in the pantry, than you are equipped in case you do find that all the appetizers have been gobbled up and dinner won't be ready for another 30 minutes.

My faux pas (one of many)

Cheese is rarely served as an appetizer in France. I remember being stared at rather oddly when I showed up with cheese and crackers as an appetizer at a potluck. Cheese is reserved for a special course all by itself after the main meal, where it can receive all of the lavish attention the French love to give it.

---

French Appetizer Recipes

French appetizers are best made ahead. Who wants to be fussing with something in the kitchen when everyone else is relaxing with a drink? As always at Easy French Food, you will find all of these recipes simple to prepare and without a lot of fussy ingredients.

Canape Recipes

Ham Appetizers

Leek Tart Recipe

Olive Bread Recipe

Salmon Mousse Recipe

Sardine Recipes

Zuchinni Fritters Recipe

More coming soon, c'est promis!

---

Return from French Appetizers to Easy French Food Homepage