What Is a Canapé? Plus, 5 of Our Favorite Recipes for This Elegant Appetizer

Canapés. Doesn't the word just drip with elegance? This snazzy food category certainly lives up to its chic name eliciting images of silver platters, clinking Champagne glasses, and the heady din of a cocktail party. If you're anything like us, though, you may be a little murky, on what exactly a canapé is. "Canapés are simply hors d'oeuvres that tend to be more on the petite side. Usually based upon a bread or pastry, think of a canapé as a tiny open-faced sandwich," says cookbook author Jim Mumford, adding that canapé is also French for sofa. They are "wonderful for entertaining because they are generally very easy to prepare." Since their base is made from bread, cracker, or pastry, they can be quickly put together, and the combinations are limitless, Mumford adds. "Another advantage of the canapé is that no other spoon or [other] cutlery is required to consume."

Private chef Michael Johnson urges home cooks to be creative with canapés. "Think about what it is you love to cook and how these things could work in small, one-mouthful bites and go for it," he says. "Canapés are a great way to showcase your culinary talents and can be fun and exciting." Johnson also reminds hosts to consider how the canapés are consumed when brainstorming ideas: "You don't want your friend to ruin their shirt with a messy canapé."

When making canapés, Mumford advises hosts to plan for around four per person as a starter or 12 for a main ("these make the best parties!"). Now, to get those wheels turning, here are our five favorite canapé recipes. Are you ready to join us in the "Bring Back the Canapés" campaign?

Radish Canapés with Black-Olive Butter

Somebody tell us why we didn't embrace tangy olive butter sooner? Here, olive butter and radishes with a sprinkling of fresh mint makes for a delicious canapé that's served on toasted baguette pieces.

Pear, Walnut, and Ricotta Crostini

A fruit and cheese pairing that is sure to delight all guests year-round. You can spoon this flavorful pear, walnut, and ricotta cheese topping on any crostini, toast, or pastry for the perfect hors d'oeuvres to serve.

Marinated Peppers With Mint and Sesame

Our marinated peppers with mint and sesame provide a unique flavor pairing that tastes incredible on small slices of a toasted baguette. We toss the peppers with lemon zest and juice, olive oil, and sesame seeds, then top it off with fresh mint leaves before serving.

Persimmon and Brie Crostini

This persimmon and brie crostini makes for a tasty Thanksgiving appetizer. We always use Fuyu persimmons—and they should be ripe but sliceable when preparing this canapé. The triple-cream cheese paired with this sweet, delectable fruit is a match made.

Provençal Onion Tart

This savory provençal onion tart is made with puff pastry dough for convenience. Once it is baked, we spread a mixture of caramelized onions, fresh thyme, and briny olives. We let it cool and cut the tart into tiny squares for simple serving.