A traditional molded chicken liver paste, to be used either as a cocktail spread with salted crackers or served in a small wedge as part of a hors d’oeuvres plate.

• 1 pound chicken livers
• 1 white onion
• ¾ cup rendered chicken fat (or melted butter)
• 1 tsp salt
• ½ tsp mace
• ¼ tsp nutmeg
• 1½ tsp dry mustard
• 1/8 tsp anchovy paste
• 4 T grated white onion
• 1 T cognac brandy

Step 1:
Wash livers, trim away any discolorations, place in a saucepan, add the whole peeled onion, barely cover with cold water and bring to a boil.

Cover, reduce heat and simmer 20 minutes. Drain and discard the onion.

Grind the livers very very finely, using the finest blade of the grinder and putting them through a second time if neces­sary to reduce them to a smooth paste.

Add all the other ingredients, mixing very thoroughly. Pack in a straight-sided mold, cover with waxed paper, and chill overnight.

Step 2:
Unmold on a plate and slice thinly, for hors d’oeuvres— or serve in a ring of crisp salted crackers, for cocktail hour.

• 8 slices very fresh white bread, crusts removed
• Butter
• Soft Cheddar spread

Butter the bread, spread with cheese; roll up the slices— easily done by placing the bread buttered-side up on a damp kitchen towel. Fasten the rolls either with extra butter or by a toothpick; place in a shallow pan beneath the broiler flame and toast evenly on all sides . . . about 5 minutes over all.

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup cream cheese
• 1/3 cup sour cream
• 1/2 teaspoon curry powder
• 1 tablespoon capers
• 1 tablespoon chives, chopped
• Salt and Pepper to taste
• 1 cup crab meat

Combine cream cheese and sour cream thoroughly in mixing bowl. Add curry powder, capers, and chives. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Shred or chop crab meat very finely.

Combine the cheese mixture and the crab meat. Blend them
well. Serve as a spread with toasted crackers. Yields 2 cups.

• Bread cut in 1-inch cubes (day-old French bread or Italian)
• 1 cup grated Parmesan
• ½ pound melted butter

Dunk the bread cubes in the butter—briefly, or they will absorb too much!—roll in grated Parmesan, and bake in the oven until golden brown—about 5 to 10 minutes in a very hot oven.

• 8 oysters

• Salt, pepper, paprika

• 8 thin slices of bacon

Sprinkle oysters with salt, pepper and paprika. Wrap each oyster in a thin slice of bacon and secure with a toothpick. Broil until bacon is crisp, turning once to brown evenly. Serve hot.

Anyone can make deviled eggs, but a gourmet cook is not content with the dull mustard-cayenne variety. Stuffed eggs are best prepared in advance and allowed to chill gently for a minimum of two hours before serving.

For a very special cocktail hour, provide two or even three different stuffing. All start with peeled, halved hardboiled eggs—place the yolks in a bowl and mash:

1. 6 mashed hardboiled egg yolks, 1 T curry, 1 T mayonnaise, 1 tsp prepared mustard, 4 T fish or chicken paste. Garnish with drained capers.

2. 6 egg yolks mashed, 2 T whipped cream cheese, ¼ tsp anchovy paste, 1 T mayonnaise, (This should be a stiffer paste.)

3. 6 egg yolks mashed, 1 tsp chili sauce and 2 T flaked crabmeat, shrimp or lobstermeat … place in the empty egg whites, and mask with the following mixture: 2 T mayonnaise, combined with 1 tsp curry powder. Garnish with an anchovy fillet.

4. 6 egg yolks mashed, 6 minced black olives, 2 T Roque­
   fort or Bleu cheese. Mash thoroughly, and thin with a
   few drops of milk if necessary. Garnish with toasted slivers of almonds, or pistachio nuts.

5. 6 egg yolks mashed, 2 T liver paste (or 2 mashed
   cooked chicken livers), 1 tsp curry powder, 1 T mayon­naise, salt and pepper. Garnish with fresh parsley.

6. 6 egg yolks mashed, 3 T pate de foie gras, 1 tsp each of chervil, parsley and chives, salt and pepper. Garnish with a black olive.

A traditional south-of-the-border cocktail dip, to serve with sturdy potato chips or crisp crackers.

Mash the avocados through a sieve, add other ingredients, mix very smoothly and serve in a bowl lined with a few let­tuce leaves. Dust the top with paprika.

NOTES: Avocados quickly blacken with air; guacamole should never be made more than half an hour in advance— in which case, cover the bowl with Saran wrap and keep in the refrigerator until the final moment.

Guacamole variations: add 2 crumbled crisp-cooked cold bacon slices—or 2 tablespoons of ground nuts (almonds, cashews, peanuts)—or a tablespoon of chili sauce—or a tablespoon of grated raw carrot—or a tablespoon of sherry and 6 minced black olives. . . .