The Once-Popular Vintage Holiday Appetizer We Want Back On Dinner Tables

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While favorites change over time, some dishes remain timeless, like Martha Stewart's favorite recipes that will never go out of style — think Niçoise salad or a perfectly cooked steak. There are, however, some old-school recipes, including some eccentric vintage appetizers like Spam and cheese ribbon loaf or minced clam and cheese, that lean completely into the strange and might be better left behind. Still other quirky vintage recipes deserve a comeback, like baked Alaska or fruit cocktail cake.

But one vintage appetizer that we feel definitely deserves another look is the shrimp and cucumber canapé. Canapés, while still popular at larger functions and receptions where food is eaten buffet-style or presented by waitstaff to be eaten standing, are often overlooked for simple dinner parties at home. Shrimp and cucumber canapés are the perfect vintage appetizers for your next get-together. They are crunchy and creamy with a delicious meaty, salty, and umami snap from the shrimp. On top of that, shrimp and cucumber canapés are pretty simple to make and can be endlessly customized.

First, you'll need to decide if you want to go with boiled, sauteed, or grilled shrimp. Most recipes use boiled shrimp, which offer a milder, more neutral flavor and texture; you can even buy them pre-cooked to save time. But if you're looking for more caramelized flavor and more of a chewy texture, you may want to go with grilled or sauteed shrimp. Because you'll be adding more flavorful ingredients along the way, you probably don't need to add anything other than salt and pepper for cooking.

The simplest way to prepare these canapés is to slice your cucumbers, spread a bit of cream cheese on top, and then top the cream cheese with your shrimp, maybe a squeeze of lemon juice, and a sprinkle of fresh dill or other herbs. But there are a number of flavors and variations to try to get the canapés how you like them. You can mix garlic and fresh herbs into the softened cream cheese, slice the cucumbers into thin strips, and wrap them around the cream cheese. Or get deeper into flavor with some spice and a quick-made cocktail sauce consisting of ketchup, Old Bay or Creole seasoning, and hot sauce mixed with chopped onion, green pepper, and celery. Separately, you can mix your softened cream cheese with more Old Bay or Creole seasoning, spread it on the cucumber, and top with your cocktail sauce and then a shrimp. Whatever way you decide to go, starting with a simple base of cucumber, shrimp, and cream cheese will set you off in the right direction.