Knorr spinach dip served in a bread bowl (knorr soup has the recipe on the package if they still make it)
Quiche/mini quiche
potato skins ( stuffed with cheese/bacon/chives)

And for dessert: lemon tarts. if you ready the book, you would know why!

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I grew up in Flushing, Queens and what I recall is chopped liver and Ritz crackers, along with celery and carrot sticks and a Lipton onion dip.

The fancy folks called it pate.

We were not at all fancy. We bought our chopped liver in a plastic container.

All duplicates, I think: Halved baby potatoes with creme fraiche or sour cream topped with black caviar; stuffed mushrooms;
bagel chips with cream cheese, lox and capers, and/or whitefish salad. Hummus with pita chips and veggies that can be dipped; stuffed mushrooms; asparagus wrapped in prosciutto. For sweets: flourless chocolate cake; mini cheesecakes; strawberries or a fruit platter; assorted rugelach.

I realized only as I wrote this that except for the prosciutto, all of these could easily be kosher — and many of the most chi chi events that I went to back then as a grad student would have tried to have spreads that were kosher enough.

In contrast, during the same time period, when I came home to DC, the spreads would have been more likely to include individual baby back ribs; miniature crab cakes; shrimp cocktail; and maybe chicken wings with different sauces; with fancy brownies for sweets.

Anonymous wrote:Vol au vent

https://mykitchenwand.com/vol-au-vent-in-the-80s/

My mom used to make this. I loved eating the little hat.

Anonymous wrote:I grew up in Flushing, Queens and what I recall is chopped liver and Ritz crackers, along with celery and carrot sticks and a Lipton onion dip.

Trader Joe’s has a premade caramelized onion dip that would be great with crudités

-Bacon wrapped asparagus
-Clams Casino
-Shrimp Cocktail
-Stuffed Mushrooms
-Mini NY Style Sandwiches (rye, swiss, thousand island and roast beef, turkey or pastrami and coleslaw)
-escargot

If I remember right, that was also the beginning of chicken nuggets - at first they were considered cocktail finger food

Anonymous wrote:Caviar baby potatoes, rye swiss cheese squares (could add corned beef on it, brie and jam bites, salami with cream cheese rolls.

Those caviar new potatoes were *the* thing at closing parties for leveraged acquisitions in the 80s -- peak Bonfire of the Vanities

(But I'd rather eat brie)

I am sooo jealous of your book club! What a GREAT reading selection.

Wrap pineapple chunks in bacon. Secure with a toothpick. Bake.

Anonymous wrote:Baked brie. Brie anything.

Yes!!!! Beat me to this!!!

Something with sundried tomatoes. Also, your parties sound very fun. Silver Palate cookbook idea is great, too.

Vol au vent

https://mykitchenwand.com/vol-au-vent-in-the-80s/

Honestly most of these 80's era appetizers are still delicious today (and still served).