I love something like that only with phyllo cups. We can get the little tiny cups shaped from phyllo already made in the stores here. The only downside is the filling can't sit for long, the phyllo gets soggy but with amuse bouche not an issue. I also made mushroom tarts with sundried tomatoes once, those were good. Or fill a mushroom with something yummy. I love all of those things. Depends on how elaborate you want to go. I wouldn't worry about excitement, they sound exciting to me. Nothing better than a delicious tried and true.

Barbecue. That means so many different things. I'm going to just think American/California bbq and let you determine if it helps with French/UK. For a home barbecue here, we wouldn't have an amuse. We might put out tortilla chips, salsa picante or pico de gallo and guacamole, and for the times give each person a cup of their own chips and toppings. If it would wake up the palates of your crowd, to be a non-communal amuse, you could make/buy slightly bigger chips (maize, thin, light beige, just cornmeal and water, rolled out or pressed flat, and left to dry out some, cut into triangles, shallow fry so they stay pretty flat, tossed with salt while still hot). Top with guacamole, a dribble of salsa picante, and a little hat of sour cream. You can decorate the top with a little slice of olive if it's mild in flavor.

For starting the barbecued flavors going, how about a canape of roasted to charred edges orange sweet potato slice, with a salad or paste of roasted sweet corn (maize), roasted red sweet peppers and whatever else you fancy?

Okay, barbecue to us means corn. ;)

For other introductory flavors, maybe something with onion jam, pickles and a little smoked meat or fish, or smoked cheese. Maybe a little ball held together with the cheese. easy to carry and serve, easy to pop in the mouth. Or half a grilled apricot, if they're in season there as they are here, filled with the same.

All of these are meant to be made ahead and served at ambient temperature, though the chip/guacamole would be better assembled on site for obvious reasons.

Islay Islay. What nationality are the guests?

How about Watermelon Gazpacho in shooter glasses? Keep it in a pitcher chilled until just before serving. Granish with the flavored oil, chives and a wee bit of the relish.

My notes:

I have made the recipe below a couple days in advance. It keeps well and gives time for the flavors to meld.

I short cut this recipe by whirling the first four ingredients in a blender until pureed. I do not peel the tomatoes. I have also skipped making the scallion relish and just added the relish ingredients to the blender with everything but the chives and 2 tbs of olive oil.

Watermelon Gazpacho

Recipe by Amanda Lydon and Gabriel Frasca

ACTIVE: 40 MIN TOTAL TIME: 1 HR 40 MIN SERVINGS: 12

6 1/2 pounds tomatoes, cored

2 pounds seedless watermelon, peeled—2 cups coarsely chopped, 2 cups diced

2 pounds cucumbers, peeled and seeded—2 cups coarsely chopped, 2 cups diced

1/4 cup sherry vinegar

3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

Salt and freshly ground pepper

6 scallions, thinly sliced

2 jalapeños, seeded and minced

1/2 cup chopped cilantro

1/4 cup fresh lime juice

1/2 cup minced chives, for garnish

Directions

1.Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add the tomatoes and blanch until the skins are loosened, about 30 seconds. Transfer the tomatoes to a large rimmed baking sheet and let cool.

2.Peel the tomatoes and halve them crosswise. Working over a coarse sieve set over a large bowl, squeeze the tomato halves to release the seeds and juices. Press on the seeds; you should have about 2 cups of tomato juices in the bowl. Coarsely chop enough of the tomatoes to make 4 cups. Cut the remaining tomatoes into 1/2-inch dice.

3.In a food processor, puree the coarsely chopped tomatoes with the reserved tomato juice and the 2 cups each of chopped watermelon and cucumber. Transfer the soup to a large bowl. Stir in the diced tomato, watermelon and cucumber, the vinegar and 1 tablespoon of the olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Refrigerate until chilled, at least 1 hour.

4.In a small bowl, mix the scallions, jalapeños, cilantro and lime juice; season with salt and pepper. Ladle the soup into bowls, drizzle with the remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil and sprinkle the chives on top. Pass the scallion relish at the table.

Ok, so, one bites... and no seafood. Mini savory custards and parmesan puffs can be pretty darn good, don't knock yourself there :) I assume these need to be more canape with maybe toothpicks rather than anything with spoons, cups, ect.

Bacon wrapped stuff- dates, figs, water chestnuts, spicy walnuts, baby potatoes or sweet potatoes, chicken bits, pineapple bits... Melon or asparagus wrapped in prosciutto or really good ham.

Romane hearts filled with just about anything from ham or egg salad, goat cheese and citrus or jam, tomatoes and tapanade, or a savory mousse/creme made with things like asparagus, cheese, or zuchinni.

Extra large hard boiled eggs- the whites can be used just like romane hearts to hold all sorts of stuff to make a one-bite amuse other than the usual deviling of the hard yolks.

Bruchetta can have all sorts of fun toppings.

Cucumber shooters- you make little cups out of cucumber, and fill them with cold soups to bloody marys. They can also be very nice filled with a creamy cheese and herb mixture.

Small sweet peppers and salad tomatoes can be filled with different things. Minced salads, cheeses, rice mixed with cheese and perhaps beans or corn.

Mushrooms can be stuffed with all sorts of things. Cucumbers and summer squash can be sliced very thin long-wise and used for rolling up all sorts of things.

Small skewers of cheese, tomato, and basil- drizzle with a bit of oil and basalmic. Raspberries and basil with a cream cheese and basalmic or orange juice mix on the cracker/bread of your choice.

I do a quick and dirty whipped cream cheese with sour cream and dill piped onto a Ritz cracker, fold a strip of smoked salmon artistically over the cream cheese then top with a couple of capers.

Oooo… these look good! it came from a list of ideas here: https://www.saveur.com/gallery/Amuse-Bouches-from-Great-American-Chefs/

How about mini onion flambe?!

How about a watefrmelon sorbet?

Floral we're in France.

Thank you for all the ideas. I am spoiled for choice. The hostess is doing tapas for the first course and there will be cheese and salad after. I'm not sure what dessert will be.

It's going to be hot so something watermelon sounds really good. The little custards require spoons. I could make individual plates with the little custard, the buttery parmesan biscuit and a little shot of watermelon gazpacho. They don't live far away - about 500m lol but it will need carrying.

I knew you're in France Islay. That’s why I asked. I was wondering if you were entertaining locals or Americans. It‘s just that when I read some of the recipes on this forum (not necessarily on this thread) they don't attract me at all and I thought they might not attract French diners either. Too rich and too many flavours piled on. I think your mini quiches and parmesan crisps sound great.

It's not really watermelon season here in Michigan but we can get it from Mexico. It usually isn't all that great this time of year. Don't know about Europe and the watermelon import lines. But anyway, I always thought watermelon salsa or salad would be weird but it was great. Prosciutto wrapped melon is also good. Something with fruit in it sounds really good to me for some reason. Or fresh garden veggies worked into the dish somehow. If it were me I think I might macerate some seasonal fruit in some strong flavored alcohol and serve it on a skewer. Maybe drizzle with some flavored yogurt before serving. Or a roasted pepper salad served over bite sized pieces of focaccia or some other kind of flat bread.

I've been making watermelon salads for a few weeks now. They have been excellent as they were all last summer. I order one every other week in my veg box. I think it helps that they are organic. Just as easy to skewer. My family loved it as well during a recent visit.

This was last weekend.

Small bites aside, how great is it to have such a problem deciding! Finally. Gatherings with friends.

I just made a batch of falafel. Still resting but will be some mini ones for tomorrow. Humus and tahini sauce...friends stopping by. Not for dinner but i like to have some snacks.

Nice to be healthy and happily welcoming vaccinated friends....

Shopping my freezer for a mixed grill so if anyone stays for dinner...

Another one i like is a smoked salmon BLT bite. Many ways to do it.

Cod, salmon, crab cakes mini but only if at my home...not easily traveled.

No watermelons to be had here, yet! So that puts the khybosh on that plan LOL

Flora, I was talking about little savoury egg custard.

Put 300ml cream in a saucepan. Add a crushed clove of garlic and a sprig of thyme. Bring up to simmering point, then allow to cool and infuse. Add 20g parmesan and 50g Gruyère or similar, season and heat gently until the cheese has melted. Remove the garlic and thyme and allow to cool.

Beat 2 yolks into the cream and strain into buttered ramekins. Cook in a bain marie in a low oven for about 15 minutes. Check for the wobble!

A perfect candidate for Plllog's toast points.

The pots are very small - they make the biscuits look hugs LOL

That egg custard looks like a yummy breakfast too!