By Leigh O’Connor.
There’s something magical about a tray of canapés making its way through a room. Maybe it’s the sparkle in people’s eyes as they spot their favourite bite-sized treasure. Maybe it’s the nostalgia - those flavours that instantly transport us back to family parties, neighbourhood get-togethers or glamorous ’80s soirées with questionable wallpaper choices.
Whatever the reason, retro canapés are strutting back onto the entertaining scene with all the confidence of a disco ball - glittery, cheeky and absolutely impossible to ignore.
Let’s be honest: food doesn’t always have to be avant-garde or molecular to be memorable. Sometimes the best things come in tiny, familiar packages.
Take the classic vol-au-vent, for instance. Once a staple at every celebration worth its balloon arch, this delicate puff pastry case is enjoying a very well-deserved renaissance. Fill it with creamy chicken and tarragon, smoked salmon and dill, or even a rich mushroom ragù, and just like that - boom. You’ve got a canapé that feels both retro and ridiculously indulgent. Guests rarely stop at one and frankly, who can blame them?
Then there’s the prawn cocktail, the undisputed Queen of vintage appetisers. Today’s party hosts are ditching the tall glass in favour of mini versions - tiny forks, dainty dishes, the whole glamorous affair. Imagine a juicy, cold prawn dipped in a tangy Marie Rose sauce, topped with crisp iceberg lettuce and a whisper of paprika. It’s playful. It’s elegant. It’s the edible equivalent of hearing a beloved old song and still knowing all the words.
Who could forget devils on horseback? Prunes wrapped in bacon - so simple, so strange, so unexpectedly addictive. There’s something almost rebellious about serving them today, as if you’re letting your guests in on a secret that modern food trends tried desperately to bury. One bite and all resistance melts away. Sweet, salty, smoky…it’s basically the love child of a hug and a high-five.
Retro canapés aren’t just making a comeback - they’re evolving, too. The mini quiche is no longer confined to Lorraine. Now we’re seeing bold little flavour bombs like pumpkin and sage, caramelised onion and brie, or chorizo with roasted capsicum. They’re warm, comforting and just a little bit cheeky, like that one friend who always gets the party started.
Let’s not overlook the wonderfully kitschy cheese and pineapple hedgehog. Yes, you read that right. It’s spiky, it’s colourful and it sparks more conversation than any charcuterie board ever has. Today’s versions might use aged cheddar, fresh honey-kissed pineapple and even a touch of chilli jam - but the fun remains exactly the same. One glance and suddenly everyone’s eight years old again, wearing paper crowns and pulling bonbons.
Finally, the melon ball and prosciutto skewer - a time capsule of sweet-and-savoury joy. It’s refreshing, elegant and strangely flirtatious, like the food equivalent of raising an eyebrow across the room.
