Finger food

[2] With the introduction in the 17th century of service à la française, where all the dishes are laid out at once in very rigid symmetrical fashion, entremets began to change in meaning but were still mainly savoury.

[6][7] Prior to the First World War, American dinner guests would be expected to enter the dining room immediately where drinks would be served at the table with appetisers.

[7][8] It is the cocktail party that helped transfer the hors d'oeuvres from the formal dining table to the mobility of the serving tray.

To ensure that guests did not appear intoxicated after leaving to avoid detection, speakeasies often served finger foods throughout the night.

Finger foods can serve as both quick bites and key components of meals, making adaptations that blur the line between casual and formal dining.

They include hummus and pita bread, dolmas (stuffed grape leaves), and several marinated olives and cheeses.

In Southern Europe, small toasted bread topped with savory ingredients, such as crostini and bruschetta, are also popular in Italy.

Tapas in Spain offer myriad choices, including patatas bravas, albondigas (meatballs), and jamón ibérico.

Favorites include falafel, kibbeh, samosas, and spreads such as baba ghanoush, served with fresh flatbreads.

Cookbooks like My Halal Kitchen illustrate how these foods position themselves within modern daily cooking but remain culinarily true.

For producers, the simple recipes of finger foods allows them to create new menu options that share ingredients.