75 complete recipes

Party Plot Twist

75 Unexpected Things to Bring

There is a particular pleasure in arriving with a dish that makes the table pause. It might be a rosette of roasted cabbage, chocolate-cornered shortbread, a savory fruit crumble or little endive boats that make someone ask for the recipe. The surprise should come with something delicious and useful to eat.

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75 complete recipes, each with its own original illustration.

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Eight glazed red cabbage wedges arranged like an open flower.

Centerpieces with a twist

Cranberry Cabbage Rosette

Purple cabbage takes the place of a roast.

8 roasted cabbage wedges, one per side-dish portion · 1 hr 45 min

Cornbread-topped black bean and squash slab with one portion lifted.

Centerpieces with a twist

Cocoa-Bean Squash Slab with a Cornbread Roof

Unsweetened cocoa brings a dark edge to tomatoes and beans; it does not turn the filling into chocolate sauce.

1 shallow 23 × 33 cm/9 × 13 in pan, cut into 8 modest supper or buffet portions · 1 hr 45 min

Nine alternating red beet and pale dill bean-spread squares.

Centerpieces with a twist

Beet and Dill Bean Checkerboard

A checkerboard can be made from food without building a fragile stack.

9 spread squares on a platter, about 100 g each; serve with separately chosen dippers · 1 hr 25 min

Savory pear-topped parsnip cake with one of eight wedges separated.

Centerpieces with a twist

Parsnip-Pear Upside-Down Supper Cake

Pear slices form the top of a savory cake rather than a sweet glaze.

1 savory 20 cm/8 in round cake, cut into 8 wedges · 1 hr 55 min

A savory potato and sauerkraut crown with one wedge separated.

Centerpieces with a twist

Sauerkraut Potato Crown

Sauerkraut runs through this baked potato crown rather than sitting in a separate heap.

1 potato ring, cut into 8 side-dish wedges · 2 hr 10 min

Slices of savory leek and prune bread-pudding loaf.

Centerpieces with a twist

Leek and Prune Bread-Pudding Loaf

A few chopped prunes bring a dark sweet accent to leeks and mustard.

1 large savory loaf, cut into 10 thick slices · 2 hr 20 min

A savory carrot and date cheesecake wedge with a thin crumb base.

Centerpieces with a twist

Carrot-Date Savory Cheesecake

Carrot gives this chilled savory cheesecake its color.

1 savory 20 cm/8 in cheesecake, cut into 10 small wedges · 6 hr 50 min

Celeriac and apple pie with a rough oat-and-seed pastry lid.

Centerpieces with a twist

Celeriac-Apple Pie with a Seeded Oat Lid

Celeriac and apple make a pale, aromatic filling under a rough oat-and-seed lid.

1 top-crust 23 cm/9 in pie, 8 side-dish portions · 1 hr 55 min

Roasted onion-petal cups filled with orange, fennel and couscous.

Centerpieces with a twist

Orange-Fennel Couscous Onion Cups

Roasted onion petals become edible carriers rather than a hidden chopped ingredient.

24 small double-petal onion cups, each with about 17–18 g filling; not a whole meal · 2 hr 30 min

Baked polenta rectangles topped with a roasted-root patchwork.

Centerpieces with a twist

Polenta Patchwork with Roast Roots

A polenta base becomes a small edible serving platform for a patchwork of roots.

8 rectangles of baked polenta, each with roasted roots and onion · 1 hr 35 min

A green pea and lemon tart wedge with a sunflower crumb crust.

Centerpieces with a twist

Lemon-Pea Sunflower Party Tart

Lemon and peas make a vivid savory filling above a sunflower crumb crust.

1 green 23 cm/9 in tart, cut into 8 starter wedges · 4 hr

Apple-mustard sausage coins on small roasted cabbage squares.

Small bites, big entrance

Apple-Mustard Sausage Coins on Cabbage Squares

Cooked sausage gets a sharp apple-mustard finish on small roasted cabbage bases.

24 small fork-friendly cabbage squares topped with sausage coins · 1 hr 10 min

Savory cheddar thumbprints with beet-relish centers.

Small bites, big entrance

Beet-Relish Cheddar Thumbprints

These little biscuits borrow the thumbprint form without borrowing a sweet jam filling.

24 small savory thumbprint biscuits, each with beet relish · 2 hr 15 min

Parsnip and pear pancake sandwiches with chive cream.

Small bites, big entrance

Parsnip-Pear Pancake Sandwiches

Fine parsnip strands and squeezed pear make soft savory pancakes.

12 small sandwiches, made from 24 pancakes and chive cream · 2 hr 15 min

Roasted mini peppers filled with carrot, chickpea and apricot.

Small bites, big entrance

Carrot-Apricot Pepper Jewels

Carrot and a few apricot pieces turn a chickpea filling orange without making it sweet.

24 filled mini-pepper halves, 2 per buffet portion · 1 hr 30 min

Cucumber cups filled with cranberry, white bean and walnut salad.

Small bites, big entrance

Cranberry Bean Cucumber Towers

A short cucumber cylinder holds a surprisingly small amount of filling.

12 cucumber cups, each with about 14–15 g bean salad · 55 min

Orange-molasses turkey meatballs beside a separate citrus-cabbage slaw.

Small bites, big entrance

Orange-Molasses Turkey Bites

Molasses is used as a thin mustard glaze, not a sticky pool.

24 turkey meatballs with orange slaw, 2 meatballs per portion · 1 hr 15 min

Small baguette toasts with mushroom and espresso cream-cheese topping.

Small bites, big entrance

Mushroom-Espresso Mini Toasts

A little black coffee makes the mushrooms taste deeper rather than sweeter.

16 small mushroom toasts · 2 hr 35 min (cold service and transport)
Cold-travel planning: 2 hr 35 min; follow the stated cooling endpoint and finishing route.

Baked sweet-potato and pickle tortilla pinwheels.

Small bites, big entrance

Sweet Potato Pickle Pinwheels

Sweet potato and chopped pickle make a soft, sharp filling inside baked tortilla spirals.

24 baked tortilla pinwheel pieces, including the less-uniform end pieces · 2 hr 20 min

Small savory biscuits with olive, orange zest and feta.

Small bites, big entrance

Olive-Orange Biscuit Buttons

Orange zest belongs in savory baking too.

16 small round savory biscuits, about 34 g dough each before baking · 1 hr 35 min (warm service)
Cold-travel planning: 3 hr 5 min; follow the stated cooling endpoint and finishing route.

Broccoli-stem potato cakes with a separate lemon-chive yogurt dip.

Small bites, big entrance

Broccoli-Stem Treasure Cakes

Broccoli stems become the center of the dish instead of a forgotten trimming.

16 small potato cakes with lemon-chive dip · 1 hr 50 min

Crisp filo cups with date and black-pepper cheese filling.

Small bites, big entrance

Date and Black-Pepper Cheese Cups

A small date piece and a little celery seed move soft cheese away from an ordinary sweet tart filling.

12 crisp filo cups, each with about 28 g date-cheese filling · 1 hr 5 min

Celery boats with pickle-brine chickpea and cream-cheese filling.

Small bites, big entrance

Pickle-Brine Chickpea Boats

A little pickle brine seasons this thick chickpea filling without becoming a loose dressing.

24 small celery boats with about 13 g chickpea-pickle filling each · 55 min

Savory sesame-miso sandwich biscuits with cream-cheese filling.

Small bites, big entrance

Sesame-Miso Sandwich Buttons

Miso and sesame give these small biscuits a savory depth; the filling is plain cream cheese brightened with lemon.

12 small savory sandwich biscuits, from 24 baked sesame-miso coins · 2 hr 5 min

Gouache illustration of rye cups filled with red cabbage, apple and melted cheddar.

Savory surprises to pass

Red Cabbage and Apple Rye Cups

A little rye cup gives red cabbage something more interesting to do than wait beside a roast.

12 filled rye cups; 1 cup per buffet portion · 1 hr 15 min (warm service)
Cold-travel planning: 2 hr 45 min; follow the stated cooling endpoint and finishing route.

Gouache illustration of paired squash-polenta triangles topped with mustard mushrooms.

Savory surprises to pass

Squash Polenta Diamonds with Mustard Mushrooms

The diamonds are made from two triangles, so every cut piece belongs on the platter.

24 polenta triangles arranged as 12 diamond-shaped pairs, with mushroom topping; 2 triangles per buffet portion · 4 hr 10 min (chill-set preparation and hot finish)
Cold-travel planning: 3 hr 40 min; follow the stated cooling endpoint and finishing route.

Gouache illustration of creamy white-bean dip swirled with cooked cranberry sauce, with plain crackers.

Savory surprises to pass

Roast Shallot and White Bean Dip with Cranberry Ripple

White beans make a pale, mellow backdrop for roast shallots and a tart cranberry streak.

About 850 g bean dip plus about 160 g cranberry ripple and 240 g crackers; 12 buffet portions · 2 hr 15 min (cold service and transport)
Cold-travel planning: 2 hr 15 min; follow the stated cooling endpoint and finishing route.

Gouache illustration of beetroot and cheddar scone wedges showing a soft purple-flecked crumb.

Savory surprises to pass

Beetroot and Cheddar Scone Wedges

Cooked beetroot colors these savory scones from the inside, while cheddar keeps them firmly on the snack table rather than the dessert tray.

12 savory scone wedges from two 7 in/18 cm rounds; 1 wedge per buffet portion · 1 hr 5 min (warm service)
Cold-travel planning: 2 hr 35 min; follow the stated cooling endpoint and finishing route.

Gouache illustration of savory pear and onion crumble with an oat-walnut topping and blue-cheese flecks.

Savory surprises to pass

Pear and Blue Cheese Savory Crumble

Pears do not have to arrive under custard.

1 shallow 2 qt/2 L dish, 8 savory side-dish portions · 1 hr 30 min (warm service)
Cold-travel planning: 3 hr 30 min; follow the stated cooling endpoint and finishing route.

Gouache illustration of carrot and chickpea baked squares with parsley-flecked yogurt.

Savory surprises to pass

Carrot and Chickpea Party Slice

This is a savory tray slice, not a disguised cake.

16 small squares from one 8 in/20 cm pan; 2 squares plus yogurt per buffet portion · 1 hr 35 min (warm service)
Cold-travel planning: 3 hr 5 min; follow the stated cooling endpoint and finishing route.

Gouache illustration of brussels sprout and cheddar bread pudding cut into squares, with a portion lifted from the dish.

Savory surprises to pass

Brussels Sprout and Cheddar Bread Pudding Squares

Finely sliced Brussels sprouts disappear into a creamy bread pudding while leaving enough green edges to explain what is inside.

12 squares from one shallow 9×13 in/23×33 cm dish; 1 square per buffet portion · 1 hr 55 min (warm service)
Cold-travel planning: 3 hr 55 min; follow the stated cooling endpoint and finishing route.

Gouache illustration of potato and sauerkraut hand pies with a cut-open filling view.

Savory surprises to pass

Potato and Sauerkraut Hand Pies

Potato and sauerkraut make a filling with enough substance to stand up to a journey.

12 baked half-moon pies, about 5½ in/14 cm wide before folding; 1 pie per buffet portion · 2 hr 35 min (warm service)
Cold-travel planning: 4 hr 35 min; follow the stated cooling endpoint and finishing route.

Gouache illustration of mashed-black-bean and sweetcorn waffle fingers beside tomato salsa.

Savory surprises to pass

Black Bean and Sweetcorn Waffle Fingers

A waffle iron can make a useful party snack without producing dessert.

8 thin savory waffles cut into 32 fingers; 4 fingers and 25 g salsa per buffet portion · 2 hr (warm service)
Cold-travel planning: 3 hr 30 min; follow the stated cooling endpoint and finishing route.

Gouache illustration of roasted sweet-potato wedges with peanut sauce, shredded cabbage, scallions and chopped peanuts.

Savory surprises to pass

Peanut-Lime Sweet Potato Wedges

Sweet potato is familiar; a tangy peanut coating and a little raw cabbage change how it behaves on a party plate.

24 large sweet-potato wedges with peanut sauce and cabbage; 2 wedges per buffet portion · 1 hr 25 min (warm service)
Cold-travel planning: 2 hr 55 min; follow the stated cooling endpoint and finishing route.

Gouache illustration of golden salmon and pea potato coins with chopped-pickle yogurt.

Savory surprises to pass

Salmon and Pea Potato Coins

Canned salmon and peas make a familiar potato cake feel bright and compact.

24 small potato coins, about 2⅓ in/6 cm wide; 2 coins with pickle yogurt per portion · 1 hr 55 min (warm service)
Cold-travel planning: 3 hr 25 min; follow the stated cooling endpoint and finishing route.

Gouache illustration of roasted pepper and olive swirl bread with slices fanned on a board.

Savory surprises to pass

Roasted Pepper and Olive Swirl Bread

The spiral is inside the bread, not painted onto the crust.

1 loaf in a 9×5 in/23×13 cm pan, cut into 12 slices · 5 hr 10 min (warm service)
Cold-travel planning: 7 hr 10 min; follow the stated cooling endpoint and finishing route.

Gouache illustration of mushroom toast station with lemon-bean spread, cooked mushrooms and sample assembled toasts.

Build-at-the-table moments

Warm Mushroom Toast Bar with Lemon Bean Spread

A warm mushroom spoonful on cool lemony beans creates more contrast than a single blended dip.

24 small toasts with bean spread and mushrooms; 2 assembled toasts per buffet portion · 1 hr 20 min (warm service)
Cold-travel planning: 2 hr 50 min; follow the stated cooling endpoint and finishing route.

Gouache illustration of squash cornbread wedges with apple-mustard butter.

Build-at-the-table moments

Squash Cornbread Wedges with Apple-Mustard Butter

Pumpkin gives cornbread a soft orange crumb; the twist is a cold apple-and-mustard butter that guests add themselves.

12 cornbread wedges from two 7 in/18 cm rounds, with about 20 g apple-mustard butter each · 3 hr 10 min (cold service and transport)
Cold-travel planning: 3 hr 10 min; follow the stated cooling endpoint and finishing route.

Gouache illustration of roasted potato half-shells and bowls of bean relish, lemon yogurt and apple-cheddar crunch.

Build-at-the-table moments

Potato Half-Shells with Three Cold Toppings

A baked potato can become a cold, edible serving shell.

12 small potato half-shells, each filled at the table; 1 half plus one-twelfth of all toppings per side portion · 2 hr 55 min (cold service and transport)
Cold-travel planning: 2 hr 55 min; follow the stated cooling endpoint and finishing route.

Gouache illustration of turkey and finely diced apple in softened cabbage cups with mustard yogurt.

Build-at-the-table moments

Turkey and Apple Cabbage Cups

Tender cabbage leaves make a winter version of a self-filled leaf cup.

12 small open cabbage cups, each with turkey-apple filling and mustard yogurt · 3 hr 5 min (cold service and transport)
Cold-travel planning: 3 hr 5 min; follow the stated cooling endpoint and finishing route.

Gouache illustration of broccoli and apple soup sippers with rye-toast triangles.

Build-at-the-table moments

Broccoli and Apple Soup Sippers with Rye Toasts

Apple rounds the flavor of broccoli without turning the soup sweet.

About 1.9 L soup divided into 12 small servings, about 160 ml each, plus 24 rye-toast triangles · 3 hr 5 min (cold-transport preparation and hot service)
Cold-travel planning: 2 hr 50 min; follow the stated cooling endpoint and finishing route.

Gouache illustration of oat-sesame crackers with smooth beet-white-bean spread and diced cucumber.

Build-at-the-table moments

Beet and White Bean Oat-Cracker Board

Sturdy homemade oat crackers become a small edible board for beetroot-white bean smash.

24 medium oat crackers with about 800 g beet-bean smash and cucumber topping; 2 crackers per buffet portion · 2 hr 15 min (cold service and transport)
Cold-travel planning: 2 hr 15 min; follow the stated cooling endpoint and finishing route.

Gouache illustration of roast pear and lentil pita pockets with celery, feta and chopped walnuts.

Build-at-the-table moments

Roast Pear and Lentil Pita Pockets

Roast pear brings a soft, savory-sweet note to lentils, celery and feta.

12 half-pita pockets with pear-lentil filling; 1 filled half per buffet portion · 2 hr 25 min (cold service and transport)
Cold-travel planning: 2 hr 25 min; follow the stated cooling endpoint and finishing route.

Gouache illustration of rice-free nori wraps with creamy tuna, cucumber and carrot strips.

Build-at-the-table moments

Tuna and Cucumber Nori Wrap Station

Nori becomes the crisp wrapper for a rice-free tuna filling and fine raw vegetable strips.

24 small rice-free nori wraps; 2 wraps per buffet portion · 1 hr 35 min (cold service and transport)
Cold-travel planning: 1 hr 35 min; follow the stated cooling endpoint and finishing route.

Gouache illustration of smoked-trout and grape endive boats with celery and a light mustard-yogurt dressing.

Build-at-the-table moments

Smoked Trout and Grape Endive Boats

Sweet grape pieces soften the smoky note of canned trout, while endive gives each small spoonful a crisp, slightly bitter carrier.

24 small endive boats; 2 boats per buffet portion · 2 hr (cold service and transport)
Cold-travel planning: 2 hr; follow the stated cooling endpoint and finishing route.

Gouache illustration of thick tomato and split-red-lentil dip with toasted cheddar flatbread fingers.

Build-at-the-table moments

Tomato-Lentil Dipping Pot with Cheddar Flatbread Fingers

Red lentils make a thick tomato dipping pot with enough body to stay on a piece of bread.

About 1.5 L thick dipping pot plus 12 cheddar-flatbread fingers; 1 finger and one-twelfth of the pot per buffet portion · 1 hr 45 min (warm service)
Cold-travel planning: 3 hr 45 min; follow the stated cooling endpoint and finishing route.

Gouache illustration of two-layer corn-pancake stacks with tomato, parsley and plain yogurt.

Build-at-the-table moments

Sweetcorn Pancake Stacks with Tomato and Yogurt

Two small corn pancakes become a savory stack with tomato in the middle and yogurt on top.

24 small corn pancakes assembled into 12 two-layer savory stacks · 3 hr 5 min (cold service and transport)
Cold-travel planning: 3 hr 5 min; follow the stated cooling endpoint and finishing route.

Gouache illustration of pineapple-chicken lettuce boats with cabbage-carrot yogurt slaw.

Build-at-the-table moments

Pineapple Chicken Lettuce Boats

Roasted pineapple and small chicken pieces make a juicy filling, while a cold cabbage-yogurt slaw provides the crunch.

12 lettuce boats with chicken-pineapple filling and cabbage yogurt slaw · 2 hr 55 min (cold service and transport)
Cold-travel planning: 2 hr 55 min; follow the stated cooling endpoint and finishing route.

Gouache illustration of chilled lemon-ricotta pasta shells with parsley and tomato relish.

Build-at-the-table moments

Lemon Ricotta Pasta-Shell Canapés

Jumbo pasta shells can hold a cold filling as comfortably as a baked one.

24 chilled filled jumbo pasta shells; 2 shells per buffet portion · 2 hr 5 min (cold service and transport)
Cold-travel planning: 2 hr 5 min; follow the stated cooling endpoint and finishing route.

Twelve pear-rosemary polenta turnouts with a pear piece on each golden top.

Sweet things worth the space

Pear–Rosemary Polenta Turnouts

A small piece of pear belongs at the top of each cake, rather than disappearing into the batter.

12 small upside-down pear cakes; one cake per portion · 2 hr 55 min

Twelve dark cocoa-beet squares with distinct pale baked cheese ribbons.

Sweet things worth the space

Beet, Cocoa and Tangy Cheese Ribbon Squares

The beet is part of the cocoa batter, not an extra garnish placed on a familiar brownie.

1 low 20×20 cm cake cut into 12 squares; 1 square per portion · 4 hr 45 min

Six apple-miso yogurt pots with six separate portions of baked oat crumble.

Sweet things worth the space

Baked Apple–Miso Crunch Pots

White miso seasons the apple rather than announcing itself as a sauce.

6 dessert pots in 200 ml jars, plus 6 separate portions of baked crumble · 3 hr 10 min

Twenty-four crisp cranberry-fennel dunking sticks in three rows of eight.

Sweet things worth the space

Cranberry–Fennel Double-Baked Dunking Sticks

Fennel is a small warm note behind cranberry and orange, not a coating of seeds.

24 straight-cut dunking sticks; 2 sticks per snack-dessert portion · 2 hr 30 min

Eight wedges of a low cherry-cardamom buckwheat custard cake.

Sweet things worth the space

Cherry–Cardamom Buckwheat Custard Wedges

Buckwheat and cardamom give sour cherries a warm, slightly nutty setting without a heavy pastry case.

1 low 20 cm round custard cake, cut into 8 wedges · 3 hr 25 min

Six tan date-tahini custard cups with a small toasted sesame finish.

Sweet things worth the space

Date–Tahini Custard Cups with Toasted Sesame

Dates are blended into the milk so their sweetness belongs to the custard rather than to a sticky topping.

6 custard cups in 150 ml ramekins, about 105 g custard plus 2 g sesame each · 5 hr 50 min

Six small golden ring cakes with thin dark chocolate drizzles.

Sweet things worth the space

Parsnip–Ginger Ring Cakes with Cocoa Drizzle

Parsnip makes a gentle, sweet root-vegetable cake rather than a vegetable joke.

6 individual ring cakes, each finished with about 11 g chocolate coating · 1 hr 50 min

Eight pink-grapefruit custard tartlets in pale green-flecked pistachio pastry.

Sweet things worth the space

Pink Grapefruit and Pistachio Custard Tartlets

Pink grapefruit gives a sharp finish to a sweet milk custard, while ground pistachio belongs in the pastry itself.

8 individual 8 cm custard tartlets, each with 30 g grapefruit · 3 hr 40 min

Sixteen dark chocolate-prune cups on thin golden pretzel bases.

Sweet things worth the space

Smoky Chocolate–Prune Pretzel Cups

Smoked paprika is used in a tiny amount to lengthen the chocolate flavor, not to make a sweet taste like barbecue sauce.

16 small chilled chocolate cups; 2 cups per dessert portion · 3 hr

Eight lemon-basil sandwich cakes with strawberry cheese filling.

Sweet things worth the space

Lemon–Basil Strawberry Sandwich Cakes

The basil is baked into small lemon cakes, not placed on top as a leaf to remove.

8 complete sandwich cakes made from 16 cake halves · 3 hr

Six pale amber pear-ginger cups beside a closed serving airpot.

Pour, crunch and give

Warm Pear, Ginger and Bay Cups

Pear juice gives the drink its body while ginger and bay remain an infusion, not floating decorations.

1500 ml finished hot drink; 6 portions of 250 ml · 30 min

Six ruby cranberry-rosemary coolers beside their closed bottle.

Pour, crunch and give

Cranberry–Rosemary Rooibos Cooler

A short rosemary steep gives cranberry a resinous edge without leaving a woody sprig in the glass.

1500 ml finished cooler; 6 portions of 250 ml · 2 hr 45 min

Six small cups of smooth dark cocoa-orange sipping milk.

Pour, crunch and give

Cocoa–Orange Toasted Oat Sipping Milk

Toasted oats make this cocoa drink rounder without leaving a spoonful of porridge in every cup.

1200 ml finished sipping milk; 6 portions of 200 ml · 40 min

Six glasses of pale green apple, cucumber and lime fizz without ice or garnish.

Pour, crunch and give

Green Apple, Cucumber and Lime Fizz

The surprise here is a bright green, lightly savory base under a proper fizz.

1500 ml finished drink; 6 glasses of 250 ml · 1 hr 30 min

Six small glasses of pale pineapple-yogurt drink speckled with mint.

Pour, crunch and give

Pineapple–Mint Yogurt Sips

Canned pineapple gives this mint-flecked yogurt drink a rounded fruit flavor without asking the host to run a blender.

6 equal small glasses from the whole batch, approximately 1.2 L total · 1 hr 15 min

Orange-sesame rye crackers with black pepper in an open gift pack.

Pour, crunch and give

Orange, Sesame and Black Pepper Rye Crackers

These are thin, sharp-edged crackers rather than a bread basket in miniature.

36 crackers, approximately 5 × 5 cm; 4 packs of 9; 12 snack portions of 3 · 1 hr 30 min

Maple-mustard coffee popcorn crunch with pretzels and pumpkin seeds in open gift tins.

Pour, crunch and give

Maple–Mustard Coffee Popcorn Crunch

Maple and mustard make popcorn feel closer to the snack table than the sweet trolley.

4 equal gift containers, approximately 80–90 g each after drying; 8 snack portions · 1 hr 50 min

Paprika-lemon roasted chickpeas and hazelnuts in a small open snack container.

Pour, crunch and give

Smoky Lemon Chickpea and Hazelnut Crunch

Chickpeas and hazelnuts have different jobs in this mix: the chickpeas give a little hollow crunch, while the nuts stay round and rich.

4 equal chilled snack containers, approximately 75–85 g each after roasting; 8 snack portions · 3 hr 15 min

Cashew, coconut and rice-cracker crunch with fine dill flecks in an open gift box.

Pour, crunch and give

Dill, Lime and Coconut Cashew Crunch

Dill and lime make coconut taste savory, while cashews give the mix a substantial bite.

4 equal gift containers, approximately 100 g each; 8 snack portions · 1 hr 35 min

Carrot-orange olive spread with crisp toasted rye soldiers.

Pour, crunch and give

Carrot–Orange Olive Spread with Rye Soldiers

Orange and chopped olives give a roasted-carrot spread a sweet-salty edge without leaving it tasting like a fruit dip.

8 appetizer portions of spread, roughly 100–110 g each, plus 24 rye soldiers, 3 per portion · 3 hr 35 min

Cooked cabbage-apple mustard relish with golden cheddar-oat buttons.

Pour, crunch and give

Apple–Cabbage Mustard Relish with Cheddar Oat Buttons

This is a cabbage-and-apple relish for eating now, with enough mustard to make small cheese crackers useful.

8 appetizer portions of relish, approximately 60–70 g each, plus 32 cheddar oat buttons, 4 per portion · 3 hr 25 min

Mushroom-cocoa walnut spread with golden roasted potato coins.

Pour, crunch and give

Peppery Mushroom–Cocoa Spread with Roasted Potato Coins

A small measured amount of cocoa makes browned mushrooms taste deeper rather than chocolatey.

8 appetizer portions of spread, approximately 70 g each, plus 32 roasted potato coins, 4 per portion · 3 hr 50 min

Cranberry-beet relish with golden baked chickpea-flour squares.

Pour, crunch and give

Cranberry–Beet Relish with Chickpea Squares

Cranberry and beet make a bright, spoonable relish with enough acidity to wake up a soft chickpea square.

8 appetizer portions of relish, approximately 55–60 g each, plus 24 chickpea squares, 3 per portion · 3 hr 25 min