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James Beard's Hors d'Oeuvre & Canapés
A culinary classic! The legendary chef’s definitive guide to cocktail party food and drink.
James Beard, one of the most renowned names in the culinary world, launched his career in the same way that every good meal should start: with inventive, delicious, and elegant appetizers.
Hors d’Oeuvre and Canapés is a master class in creating perfect finger foods. Filled with stunning recipes including sliced beef with anchovy and Roquefort cheese balls, classic favorites such as deviled eggs, unique touches like mint butter for cold roast lamb, advice on decorations and hosting—and James Beard’s signature wit and charm—this guide will turn any evening event into an elegant soiree. From cocktails to sandwiches to pastries and more, Beard’s recipes are simple yet sophisticated, accessible for any home chef, and sure to stun even the most jaded guest.
From the James Beard Foundation:
Beard wrote his first cookbook in just six weeks. His stated aim was to eliminate “all the various horrors prevalent on the routine hors d’oeuvre tray—cottony bread and sagging toast, spreads and cheese of no identifiable flavor, multicolored pastry-tube piping, and tidbits on toothpicks coyly stuck into a grapefruit.” The recipes came from the repertoire of Hors d’Oeuvre, Inc., a phenomenally successful business that he’d launched with Bill and Irma Rhode (who were siblings). In a foreword to a revised edition in 1967, Beard wrote he was very gratified to find that a book he’d written more than 25 years earlier remained in demand. What would he say if he knew that Hors d’Oeuvre and Canapés was still being reprinted as late as 1999?!
book history
1940 published as Hors d'Oeuvre and Canapés: with a Key to the Cocktail Party
1963 revised and without the subtitle Hors d'Oeuvre and Canapés
1967 found two new covers, one of which retained the title of the 1963 edition, while the other was renamed James Beard's Perfect Cocktail Party Book: Hors d'Oeuvre and Canapés1985 revised again Hors d'Oeuvre and Canapés: The Classic Edition. This was released a few months after James’ death.
1999 revised as James Beard's Hors d'Oeuvre & Canapés now with an introduction by Julia Child
2015 released as an e-book Hors d'Oeuvre and Canapés and adding a foreword by Jeremiah Tower
note about the author:
Books would be released not only as "James Beard", but also "Jim Beard" and "James A. Beard". "Jim Beard" is what his books were first published under.
James Beard, one of the most renowned names in the culinary world, launched his career in the same way that every good meal should start: with inventive, delicious, and elegant appetizers.
Hors d’Oeuvre and Canapés is a master class in creating perfect finger foods. Filled with stunning recipes including sliced beef with anchovy and Roquefort cheese balls, classic favorites such as deviled eggs, unique touches like mint butter for cold roast lamb, advice on decorations and hosting—and James Beard’s signature wit and charm—this guide will turn any evening event into an elegant soiree. From cocktails to sandwiches to pastries and more, Beard’s recipes are simple yet sophisticated, accessible for any home chef, and sure to stun even the most jaded guest.
From the James Beard Foundation:
Beard wrote his first cookbook in just six weeks. His stated aim was to eliminate “all the various horrors prevalent on the routine hors d’oeuvre tray—cottony bread and sagging toast, spreads and cheese of no identifiable flavor, multicolored pastry-tube piping, and tidbits on toothpicks coyly stuck into a grapefruit.” The recipes came from the repertoire of Hors d’Oeuvre, Inc., a phenomenally successful business that he’d launched with Bill and Irma Rhode (who were siblings). In a foreword to a revised edition in 1967, Beard wrote he was very gratified to find that a book he’d written more than 25 years earlier remained in demand. What would he say if he knew that Hors d’Oeuvre and Canapés was still being reprinted as late as 1999?!
book history
1940 published as Hors d'Oeuvre and Canapés: with a Key to the Cocktail Party
1963 revised and without the subtitle Hors d'Oeuvre and Canapés
1967 found two new covers, one of which retained the title of the 1963 edition, while the other was renamed James Beard's Perfect Cocktail Party Book: Hors d'Oeuvre and Canapés1985 revised again Hors d'Oeuvre and Canapés: The Classic Edition. This was released a few months after James’ death.
1999 revised as James Beard's Hors d'Oeuvre & Canapés now with an introduction by Julia Child
2015 released as an e-book Hors d'Oeuvre and Canapés and adding a foreword by Jeremiah Tower
note about the author:
Books would be released not only as "James Beard", but also "Jim Beard" and "James A. Beard". "Jim Beard" is what his books were first published under.
192 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 1940
About the author
James Beard
60 books97 followersLibrarian Note: There is more than one author in the Goodreads database with this name.
Please see: James Beard.
James Andrew Beard, an expert, wrote several authoritative cookbooks, focusing on American cuisine.
James Andrews Beard, a chef, teacher, and television personality, pioneered shows, lectured widely, and taught at his namesake school in city of New York and in Seaside, Oregon. He emphasized preparation with fresh, wholesome ingredients to a just aware country of its own heritage. Beard taught and mentored generations of professional chefs and food enthusiasts. He published more than twenty times, and annual awards of his foundation honor his memory.
source: Wikipedia
He published his first books under Jim Beard.
Please see: James Beard.
James Andrew Beard, an expert, wrote several authoritative cookbooks, focusing on American cuisine.
James Andrews Beard, a chef, teacher, and television personality, pioneered shows, lectured widely, and taught at his namesake school in city of New York and in Seaside, Oregon. He emphasized preparation with fresh, wholesome ingredients to a just aware country of its own heritage. Beard taught and mentored generations of professional chefs and food enthusiasts. He published more than twenty times, and annual awards of his foundation honor his memory.
source: Wikipedia
He published his first books under Jim Beard.
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Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews
December 12, 2018
This is the updated, revised edition of the book originally published in 1940. I think the recipes are much more reflective of that time than of the 70s when this printing came out.
The author assumes you might have staff. If not, you might be able "borrow" from a friend. Failing that, there are always services through which you may hire professionals. I guess no matter what, don't try this alone!
The recipes are rather meat-heavy, and liberally use foods we don't often use today. Spread pate on a slice of tongue and roll it up; roll beef slices around a boiled chestnut... One sandwich calls for smearing ham spread and chicken spread on bread, then topping that with pieces of ham and chicken. Seems a little over the top to me. There are a couple of times he suggests beef tartare (raw, chopped steak) as a topping or filling, and he always makes sure to mention that men particularly love this. RAWR! raw meat! Also he seems to be obsessed with curry... curried cheese balls, curried chicken filling suggested for 3 different types of bases, curried eggs, shrimp, butter, mayonnaise, and even fruits!
Some of the flavor combinations seem weird at best. And many of the recipes seem time consuming and fussy (cover a square of buttered bread with a row of finely chopped tongue, a row of chopped egg yolk, a row of chopped chicken, a row of chopped ham, and a row of chopped egg white, edge it with a tiny line of chopped parsley - yeah, no, I don't see that happening 50 times), but I guess that's okay if you have "staff", and I'm sure if Mr. Beard presided over a table of hors d'oeuvre and canapés, it would no doubt be stunning! I'm just not sure it's something I would do!
There are a few classic cocktail recipes, and possibly the earliest recipe for sliders, though he calls them "cocktail hamburgers"!
I enjoyed this book. I'm not sure I'll ever use it, but I love reading recipes and I love all things from this time period. It's an interesting look at how people used to entertain, and I'm always up for that.
BTW, this is not the edition I read. Mine is from the 4th printing, copyright 1970 I think. It looks like this: https://www.amazon.com/Hors-Doeuvre-C... And it's definitely not in good enough condition to sell for $90!!!
The author assumes you might have staff. If not, you might be able "borrow" from a friend. Failing that, there are always services through which you may hire professionals. I guess no matter what, don't try this alone!
The recipes are rather meat-heavy, and liberally use foods we don't often use today. Spread pate on a slice of tongue and roll it up; roll beef slices around a boiled chestnut... One sandwich calls for smearing ham spread and chicken spread on bread, then topping that with pieces of ham and chicken. Seems a little over the top to me. There are a couple of times he suggests beef tartare (raw, chopped steak) as a topping or filling, and he always makes sure to mention that men particularly love this. RAWR! raw meat! Also he seems to be obsessed with curry... curried cheese balls, curried chicken filling suggested for 3 different types of bases, curried eggs, shrimp, butter, mayonnaise, and even fruits!
Some of the flavor combinations seem weird at best. And many of the recipes seem time consuming and fussy (cover a square of buttered bread with a row of finely chopped tongue, a row of chopped egg yolk, a row of chopped chicken, a row of chopped ham, and a row of chopped egg white, edge it with a tiny line of chopped parsley - yeah, no, I don't see that happening 50 times), but I guess that's okay if you have "staff", and I'm sure if Mr. Beard presided over a table of hors d'oeuvre and canapés, it would no doubt be stunning! I'm just not sure it's something I would do!
There are a few classic cocktail recipes, and possibly the earliest recipe for sliders, though he calls them "cocktail hamburgers"!
I enjoyed this book. I'm not sure I'll ever use it, but I love reading recipes and I love all things from this time period. It's an interesting look at how people used to entertain, and I'm always up for that.
BTW, this is not the edition I read. Mine is from the 4th printing, copyright 1970 I think. It looks like this: https://www.amazon.com/Hors-Doeuvre-C... And it's definitely not in good enough condition to sell for $90!!!
April 16, 2025
✒️ Delicious! This entire cookbook on hors-d’œuvre and canapés was a tasty delight to read. Each recipe is doable for anyone who wants to make something a little extra special for his next cocktail party or get together. I enjoyed reading this and looking forward to my next retro party.
📕Published — 1940. In the public domain.
🎨Illustrated — the original 1940 book is illustrated with photographs.
જ⁀🔵See the facsimile e-book from 1940 on ⅈꪀ𝕥ꫀ𝕣ꪀꫀ𝕥 ꪖ𝕣ᥴꫝⅈꪜꫀ.
જ⁀🔵Read the entire e-book on ⅈꪀ𝕥ꫀ𝕣ꪀꫀ𝕥 ꪖ𝕣ᥴꫝⅈꪜꫀ.
༺༻༺༻༺༻༺༻༺༻༺༻༺༻༺༻༺༻
📕Published — 1940. In the public domain.
🎨Illustrated — the original 1940 book is illustrated with photographs.
જ⁀🔵See the facsimile e-book from 1940 on ⅈꪀ𝕥ꫀ𝕣ꪀꫀ𝕥 ꪖ𝕣ᥴꫝⅈꪜꫀ.
જ⁀🔵Read the entire e-book on ⅈꪀ𝕥ꫀ𝕣ꪀꫀ𝕥 ꪖ𝕣ᥴꫝⅈꪜꫀ.
༺༻༺༻༺༻༺༻༺༻༺༻༺༻༺༻༺༻
December 31, 2023
I recently pulled this older cookbook off the shelf for inspiration before a pot luck holiday party. Surprisingly, not as dated as you might expect and full of cooking wisdom and history. A bonus in this edition is the introduction written by Julia Child.
May 6, 2015
I wish in my lifetime that I would've had the chance to not only eat the foods James Beard made, but to also have met him in person
In reading this updated version there are forwards by Julia Child & other famous chefs who did get to know him & they describe a very large man both in stature, girth & personality. Guess some would say "larger than life" type. This is why I'd have loved to meet him
The book tells how to have a good cocktail party, do's & don'ts, & also of course----recipes!!
It talks about the differences of canapés vs hors d'ouvre ( yes the correct spelling leaves out the "s" & he was intelligent enough to adhere to that & be one of the rare ones to know the correct spelling ). These 2 items are not to be THE MEAL but to get the guests gastronomic juices excited for more complimenting tastes which the meal would bring to the table later. No more than 2 mixed drinks, regular liquor & to also include non alcoholic drink at a cocktail party since not everybody can drink or wants to drink liquor
The remainder of this book starts off with some simple mixed drink recipes, going into recipes for different types of hors d'ouvre, & then onto canapés with a nice aperitif
I'll admit, when it comes to James Beard, not only did he stay true to American foods although he traveled extensively & learned a great many dishes , but I'm a Beard "groupie". I'd try most any of his recipes that were within my capabilities as a very newbie cook, just to see if I could get my version anywhere near what it must've been like to eat his fine cuisine
I highly recommend this to anyone who loves cookbooks or likes to try new recipes, looking for new ideas or just wanting to eat some great food from a book from a chef with a great spirit & great palate for his foods. He also loved to use fresh foods as often as possible. He found that very important. If not in season, try a different recipe
I received a digital copy of the revised edition from Net Galley & publisher open road integrated media in return for an honest reviews
In reading this updated version there are forwards by Julia Child & other famous chefs who did get to know him & they describe a very large man both in stature, girth & personality. Guess some would say "larger than life" type. This is why I'd have loved to meet him
The book tells how to have a good cocktail party, do's & don'ts, & also of course----recipes!!
It talks about the differences of canapés vs hors d'ouvre ( yes the correct spelling leaves out the "s" & he was intelligent enough to adhere to that & be one of the rare ones to know the correct spelling ). These 2 items are not to be THE MEAL but to get the guests gastronomic juices excited for more complimenting tastes which the meal would bring to the table later. No more than 2 mixed drinks, regular liquor & to also include non alcoholic drink at a cocktail party since not everybody can drink or wants to drink liquor
The remainder of this book starts off with some simple mixed drink recipes, going into recipes for different types of hors d'ouvre, & then onto canapés with a nice aperitif
I'll admit, when it comes to James Beard, not only did he stay true to American foods although he traveled extensively & learned a great many dishes , but I'm a Beard "groupie". I'd try most any of his recipes that were within my capabilities as a very newbie cook, just to see if I could get my version anywhere near what it must've been like to eat his fine cuisine
I highly recommend this to anyone who loves cookbooks or likes to try new recipes, looking for new ideas or just wanting to eat some great food from a book from a chef with a great spirit & great palate for his foods. He also loved to use fresh foods as often as possible. He found that very important. If not in season, try a different recipe
I received a digital copy of the revised edition from Net Galley & publisher open road integrated media in return for an honest reviews
June 6, 2010
Elegant, simple and best. On the library shelves I found this little volume between "1,001 Appetizers" and "Cocktail Food for Sassy Sexy City Girls" and the like. James Beard knocks them out, because this simple book is the solid foundation for your fabulous future in hors d'oeuvre. All his ideas are easily modified depending on your preference of cuisines, herbs, spices, meats, cheeses, etc.
About the recipes: instead of listing precise measurements, Beard writes simple prose to describe the steps to make each item. This approach is perfect for those of us who like to wing it. It's also good if your serving sizes vary, making this book as useful if you cook for one as if you cater a wedding reception.
Foods are broken into categories: cold and hot hors d'oeuvre, cocktail sandwiches, and canapés. Within these categories are such gems as the allumette ("matchstick"), barquette ("little boat"), bouchée ("mouthful") and the indomitable tartlet!
About the recipes: instead of listing precise measurements, Beard writes simple prose to describe the steps to make each item. This approach is perfect for those of us who like to wing it. It's also good if your serving sizes vary, making this book as useful if you cook for one as if you cater a wedding reception.
Foods are broken into categories: cold and hot hors d'oeuvre, cocktail sandwiches, and canapés. Within these categories are such gems as the allumette ("matchstick"), barquette ("little boat"), bouchée ("mouthful") and the indomitable tartlet!
May 11, 2015
I received this book in exchange for an honest review.
It's hard to give this book a review. My guess is that there is a demographic which would really love this book and that I am just not in it. In my cooking ignorance, I expected this book to basically be a book about appetizers. To some degree it is, but they are appetizers that would be served at a party whose fanciness would make me feel awkward. There is also an over-reliance on ingredients that I avoid (cheese, pork, shellfish, bread). That being said, if you throw high-end parties and have a wider diet than me you will probably love the lovingly-detailed recipes. In summary, this book has the excellent quality of any James Beard book, however, it's subject matter might place it out of reach for some readers.
It's hard to give this book a review. My guess is that there is a demographic which would really love this book and that I am just not in it. In my cooking ignorance, I expected this book to basically be a book about appetizers. To some degree it is, but they are appetizers that would be served at a party whose fanciness would make me feel awkward. There is also an over-reliance on ingredients that I avoid (cheese, pork, shellfish, bread). That being said, if you throw high-end parties and have a wider diet than me you will probably love the lovingly-detailed recipes. In summary, this book has the excellent quality of any James Beard book, however, it's subject matter might place it out of reach for some readers.
June 9, 2018
Done with the first book by James Beard.
If you think of appetizers,and etiquette related to serving Hors D' Oeuvre and Canapes this is the book you should go for. I even wonder whether there is cuisine called true American Cuisine since this nation is build upon hard working Immigrants. Then there is James Beard...Elaborating various food. I think American cuisine was build with James Beard. Its remarkable how his efforts made such vast impact on "American food" .
This was a truly good mouthwatering book :) .
If you think of appetizers,and etiquette related to serving Hors D' Oeuvre and Canapes this is the book you should go for. I even wonder whether there is cuisine called true American Cuisine since this nation is build upon hard working Immigrants. Then there is James Beard...Elaborating various food. I think American cuisine was build with James Beard. Its remarkable how his efforts made such vast impact on "American food" .
This was a truly good mouthwatering book :) .
May 15, 2015
I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
As always, James Beard can throw a party! However, some of these hors d'Oeuvre may be a little fancy for me and my set. Almost paleo-hors d'oeuvre, there is much focus on ham, chicken, fish and beef. Very sophisticated, and using good quality ingredients has always been one of Mr. Beard's hallmarks, and there is good representation of this here.
As always, James Beard can throw a party! However, some of these hors d'Oeuvre may be a little fancy for me and my set. Almost paleo-hors d'oeuvre, there is much focus on ham, chicken, fish and beef. Very sophisticated, and using good quality ingredients has always been one of Mr. Beard's hallmarks, and there is good representation of this here.
January 3, 2018
I found the cover old-fashioned. The first edition was in 1940, which was revised in 1962, and a foreword dated 1999. To be honest, it doesn't seem to have had much done since the revision of the 60's. Dated black line drawings of a few dishes, with the complete omission of photographs. Seriously, who has canape cutters, melon ballers or butter paddles nowadays.
December 6, 2011
Especially love how Mr. Beard advises to include interesting beverages for those who don't drink alcohol. How I wish I could have attended his parties.
Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews