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. . . .