Tonight's Canapés and Nibbles

writing them down before I forget...

platters and platters of the following...

mini toasts topped with butter, jambon cru and a little piece of melon

teeny tiny sausage rolls made with frankfurters cut into 4-6 pieces, then wrapped in pastry, brushed with egg yolk and baked in the oven

prunes wrapped in streaky bacon and baked in the oven (can also do prunes wrapped in duck breast fillets skewered on a cocktail stick topped with a square of Emmental on the end - served cold)

little bite-sized squares of lardon quiche

ham and garlic cheese roulade - just spread garlic cheese over a piece of normal ham, roll up tightly and then cut into half-centimetre rounds - really nice!

cherry tomatoes stuffed with fresh goats cheese mixed with fresh chives, garlic and finely chopped radishes... the preparation that goes into this is astounding: cut the tops off the cherry tomatoes and reserve; scoop out the insides of the cherry tomatoes with the tiniest spoon (the insides can be saved to make a really sweet tomato sauce). Blend the chopped chives, crushed garlic and finely chopped radishes with the soft goats cheese, spoon into the tomato shells, and put the little tomato lids back on... mouthful of pure squishy fresh delicious-ness!

boudin noir with apple toasts: black pudding sliced and fried, on lightly toasted bread, topped with pieces of lightly cooked apple

sliced bread with cream cheese with figs and walnuts - the cheese is just the supermarket variety - Boursin type thing but with figs - will have to check if the walnuts were already in it or added later... but quite delish...

all washed down with neverending supplies of rosé-pamplemousse, whiskey or Pastis (neverending apéritifs!) and followed by my intensely chocolately cupcakes topped with intensely chocolately ganache with sprinkles, and Nathalie's gorgeous caramelly coconut-custard cake - I will be stealing the recipe tomorrow hopefully!

and rounded off with a lovely little expresso with a large sugar lump.