As the name suggests, finger food is eaten with the fingers in a very uncomplicated way and is one of the typical specialties of many countries. The small appetizers are ideal for buffets and event catering and are available in different versions – for example as antipasti, canapés or tapas. At gastro-marktplatz.de you can find out what finger food means in concrete terms and what ideas you can offer your guests a special treat.
Finger food: tasty, bite-sized, uncomplicated
Whether at functions, events or at the buffet – finger food is trendy and is part of the catering at almost every event. The small appetizers are easy to prepare and can be eaten straight away – without any plates or cutlery. In this way, guests can talk to each other comfortably, walk around – and enjoy delicious snacks at the same time. Finger food is always a good idea, especially in summer: It fills you up without feeling heavy on the stomach. In addition, you only need little space for the presentation of the small appetizers and do not have to plan any space for tables, chairs, etc.
According to Duden, finger food is defined as “the entirety of dishes that are prepared in such a way that they can be brought to the mouth [at parties or receptions] without cutlery [with the fingers]”. In restaurants, finger food is often served as “amuse-gueule” (literally: joy of the mouth): As a gesture of the house, the waiter brings a little something to eat at the table before the starter, without being asked. In the haute cuisine, this small gift is also known as an “amuse-bouche” (mouth delight). Finger food is often cold food, in rare cases the appetizers are also served warm.
Finger food ideas from around the world
There is a wide range of culinary delicacies that can be eaten in just a few bites. Finger food often comes with (vegan) skewers or small sandwiches. Crusts, filled dumplings made from puff pastry, for example, are also widely used as finger food.
The little bites are very popular all over the world. Many country-specific kitchens are enriched by individual variants:
- Italian finger food: Antipasti, such as bruschetta, air-dried cold cuts (salami or ham), marinated vegetables
- French finger food: amuse-gueule (appetizers) and hors d’oeuvre (classic appetizers in very small portions)
- German finger food (of French origin): Canapés (small, elaborately topped slices of bread or mini baguettes in bite-sized portions),
- Spanish finger food: tapas, such as olive skewers (aceitunas), marinated meat skewers (pinchos morunos), prawns fried in olive oil with chili and garlic (gambas al ajillo) and tortilla (potato omelet)
- Norwegian finger food: small cakes or bread with salmon
- Arabic and Turkish finger food: Mezze, including falafel, kibbeh (fried bulgur dumplings) and stuffed grape leaves
- Asian finger food: such as sushi from Japan, spring and summer rolls from China and samosas (fried, stuffed dumplings) from India and Pakistan
- Finger food from Great Britain and the USA: wraps
Trendy finger food for your guests
Finger food in the form of small, bite-sized morsels is an absolute classic, but at the same time also serves the so-called “snackification” trend. Since work and private life increasingly require more flexibility and mobility from your guests, there is often not enough time for larger meals. With finger food and small snacks, your guests don’t have to do without a delicious meal in between, but can eat them easily and quickly on the go.
