The quintessential book of appetizers for any occasion.

There are more than 750 recipes to choose from because we've tried to make sure home cooks have a selection to suit every possible occasion -- from a dress-down backyard barbecue to the most elegant sit-down dinner. We've also considered the need to satisfy a variety of dietary preferences, from strictest vegans to wide-ranging omnivores. And since we know busy families are probably doing lots of things at once, many recipes can be prepared ahead of time or, if so inclined, made in a slow cooker while busy doing something else.

The book is structured to cover a broad range of options. There are 16 chapters built around specific types of dishes, such as dips and spreads, or specific ingredients, such as fish and seafood or cheese. We've also categorized by presentation since it's such an integral component to appetizers, so chapters are organized by categories, such as "Wraps and Rolls" and "Sticks and Picks."

With so many recipes to choose from, home cooks have got the basis to get any gathering off to a lively start:

• Easy tahini dip, tuna tapenade, roasted beet and goat cheese spread
• Feta-spiked watermelon salsa with chili, apple salsa, Bloody Mary salsa
• Watercress gazpacho, broccoli pesto shooter, shrimp bisque, cumin mint cooler
• Pepper-wrapped chorizo, duck confit quesadilla, cannoli, beef sushi
• Pancetta and potato bundles, buckwheat blini, spinach and artichoke tarts
• Uptown croque monsieur, pinwheel party sandwiches, salmon sliders
• Spicy sizzling shrimp, smoked salmon and avocado tartare, beer-battered oysters.

No matter how easy or perhaps difficult they may be to prepare, a tray of appetizers always seems celebratory, and there is nothing like home-cooked food to make people feel welcomed. Home cooks can use this book to create hors d'oeuvres that will delight their family and friends -- then relax and enjoy the party themselves.

Judith Finlayson is a Toronto based food writer, journalist and author with a life-long love of cooking. Her slow cooker books have sold more than 500,000 copies. Among her many books are The Best Diabetes Slow Cooker Recipes; 175 Essential Slow Cooker Classics; The Healthy Slow Cooker; 125 Best Vegetarian Slow Cooker Recipes; and The Convenience Cook.

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Chef Jordon Wagman and Jill Hillhouse, BPHE, RNCP

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