Bite by Bite: 100 Stylish Little Plates You Can Make for Any Party

Celebrated caterer Peter Callahan knows how to throw a party. With a career spanning more than two decades and a client list including celebrities, politicians, Fortune 500 companies, and New York City socialites, Peter has earned a reputation for creating hors d’oeuvres that are as inventive and beautiful as they are delicious.

A two-sip shot cleverly matched to a small bite is an incredible icebreaker, especially when the appetizer is playfully served on an edible spoon or inside a miniature Chinese take-out container. Bite-size cheeseburgers are served on tiny home-baked poppy seed buns with all the trimmings. Mango-marinated shrimp are served individually on lollipop sticks sprinkled with fresh cilantro; diminutive plantain cones are filled with dollops of tuna tartare; and chicken is rolled into nori “cigarettes.” And for an impressive encore, how about shots of coffee with sugar donuts, or mini bagels with lox and cream cheese paired with caviar cones and champagne?

In Bite by Bite, his debut cookbook, Callahan welcomes readers to share in the fun and beauty of his creations, providing inspiration for parties—whether casual gatherings, dinner parties, baby showers, or formal occasions such as weddings and holiday soirees—and 100 recipes for the home cook, ranging from savory to sweet, comfort food to haute cuisine. According to Peter, being prepared is the key to pulling off a self-catered party like a professional. With that in mind, he has included a “Kitchen Tools and Conveniences” section, listing the key equipment that will help you create the delicious masterpieces in this book. In the recipes he also notes what can be made in advance, how best to schedule your time, and any emergency substitutions and shortcuts that will make life easier on the big day. Along the way, he divulges his secrets and inspiration, recounting stories of how he dreamed up dishes that he’s catered for his impressive roster of celebrity clients.

Full of creative recipes, unique party ideas, and vibrant food photography, Bite by Bite is your go-to source for inspired hors d’oeuvres and whimsical treats that will transform any gathering into an unforgettable event. 

"One would have to be extremely committed, with an obsessive attention to detail, to nail even one of these awe-inducing appetizers by Callahan, owner of Callahan Catering in New York City, let alone a fleet of them to service a party. Callahan's dishes are irresistibly adorable and inspired: tiny hand-twisted pretzels paired with shots of beer, or a mini meatball topped with its own little fork-swirled mound of pasta. Baked beans are served in bacon cups molded from mini muffin tins; miniature loaves of bread for grilled cheese sandwiches are baked in little pans; chicken parmesan bites manifest themselves as lollipops; pancakes the size of nickels, dimes, and quarters are stacked and glued together with dots of maple syrup. Commonplace savory items (burgers, bagels with cream cheese and lox) are transformed into desserts: chocolate ice cream 'burgers' with meringue 'buns,' profiterole 'bagels' with vanilla pudding for the cream cheese and mango or papaya slices for the lox. This book is for advanced cooks, but Callahan does offer some helpful tips and shortcuts for home cooks, like substituting store-bought for homemade ingredients. (Aug.)" Publishers Weekly Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved.

PETER CALLAHAN is the owner of New York City–based Callahan Catering and is widely credited with having created the megatrend of miniaturized savory and dessert hors d’oeuvres. He has been catering for more than twenty-five years and has created food for Martha Stewart, Vera Wang, Kate Spade, JPMorgan, Tory Burch, Valentino, Regis and Joy Philbin, Tony Bennett, and Al Gore, among other clients. Peter and his wife, dress designer Josephine Sasso, divide their time among New York City, a country house in Pennsylvania, and a summer house on Nantucket. For more information, please visit CallahanCatering.com.

“We never wanted to have a party until we found Peter. And now, we can't have one without him. Peter’s delicious and imaginative creations are always the talk of the party.”

—JOY AND REGIS PHILBIN

 

“Peter’s food is always the entertainment at my parties. His small bite-size offerings make such an impression. Bite by Bite is the next best thing to having Peter in your kitchen.”

—KATE SPADE