Let's talk about the best Appetizers

[Pops1967GTX]

One of the Best,The Onion Ring ​

 

[Cheapsunglasses]

It’s a tough choice between onion rings, and fried pickles for me, both are great!

 

[ckessel]

Jalapeno poppers. Especially Bacon wrapped. Stuffed Dates, cheese inside, wrapped in Bacon.

 

[DeltaV]

Hush puppies and real butter

 

[WileE]

 

[DeltaV]

That's what I was expecting when I saw who started this thread!

 

[Moms68]

Barbeque burnt ends are food crack

 

[Detective D]

I live in WI.
Cheese curds, battered, crusted, deep fried. String cheese wrapped in a won ton wrapper and then fried is related. And not the awful processed cheese crap you get in the freezer at Walmart. Local cheese(WI) where the curds are from this morning and still squeak, and local string cheese. Smoked string cheese is also good.
Beer cheese dip with assorted things to dip into it. Anything from tortilla chips to deep fried bread dough balls coated in garlic butter/herbs.
Breaded and fried mushrooms. Button mushrooms are passable(amateur hour) thin sliced portabella caps breaded and fried to dip like french fries are better. (buttermilk ranch dip)
Serve with beer.

In a non-pub/bar/eatery setting, like a party, sliced cheese and local smoked sausage. Like summer sausage, but it isn't. Venison is common, usually mixed with beef, maybe some pork, smoked hanging dry in natural casing. Cut in thin slices and serve. With beer.

OK, now that those "lightweight" common items are out of the way, I will divulge the best, likely most heart condition inducing appetizer.
Jalepeno poppers. No no, not how you are thinking.
Take a large jalepeno(local grown) cut in half, scrape out insides.
Fill with a blend of cream cheese and finely shredded sharp cheddar. Using 100% cream cheese is amateur hour.
Place a strip of pan fried venison "back strip" across the top of the filled pepper. (make sure to lightly season the meat) I guess a bit of beef tenderloin would serve if you have to.
Wrap with a thick strip of local made applewood smoked bacon.
Bake in oven until bacon is done on a foil lined cookie sheet. You don't need the foil but the boss of the house will have something to say about cleaning the pan after if you don't.
Serve with beer.

I am sorry this got long, but around here appetizer is one of the food groups, and it comes down to more of appetizer categories within the whole then just appetizers, if that makes sense. Out of towners think it is weird to see the appetizers on a menu with pricing in close proximity to actual meal items, until they see the quantity and method/time used to prepare. Some places the menu appetizers are made to be a meal if you would like, or could be shared with another and still have more then enough. Home of the supper club means we know how to and like to eat and appetizers have been part of the tradition and escalated in complexity for some time. Things like "pulled pork nachos" for instance.

 

[Xp29h]

Went to Longhorn steakhouse last night for 33rd anniversary, had couple tall cold ones and the Texas Tonion with the southwest sauce! Pretty darn good!

 

[68BabyBlue]

I'm probably cruising for some red Xs on this one, apologies in advance if I turn anyone off - oysters on the half shell. Love 'em or hate 'em, I've never seen anyone fall in the middle on these. Wife hates them, her younger sister and my daughter will eat all I'm willing to pay for.

 

[Outlawd]

Little smokies wrapped in bacon with a pinch of brown sugar baked for a bit. A crock pot full of them will be the first one empty for sure!

 

[F4R/T]

Smoked and stuffed jalapeños, cream cheese inside!

 

[slepr1]

Chicken wings,

Especially when served by...

 

[slepr1]

I also like strawberries

 

[68BabyBlue]

Chicken wings,

View attachment 1446738

Especially when served by...

Back in the 90s, when I was doing my corporate trucking tour, I frequently entertained out of town managers when they visited headquarters. I'll never forget a night a Hooters in Merrillville, Indiana. I picked the location because of the proximity to my wife's office, asked her to join us so she wouldn't have to deal with dinner on her own that night. Never mentioned the ambience to her.

The local economy was strong in that era, and the hotness factor of the servers was not up to the level illustrated in the earlier post. My wife, wearing a tightly fitted business suit and heels, made a complete circuit around the place before she found her table. Every male eye in the place was on her, rather than the scantily attired employees. She noticed, and felt good enough about the attention to forgive my insensitive choice of venue.

 

[Hey-O]

fried pickles for me

X2, I like them too, just different

 

[ESOXER]

Stuffed peppers and bacon wrapped duck.

 

[Cranky]

Making me hungry!!

 

[Budnicks]

Damn a couple hrs still till dinner...
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twice baked stuffed/bake potatoes

drumetts, hot wings deep fried plain & dip in your favorite sauces
I'm not a big Ranch guy,
I go more towards a spicey BBQ
or
Honey Spicey Brown/Mustard
or
even just some Tabasco,
diluted in diced/chopped(even canned) tomatoes/tomato sauce
or
just hot-sauce of your choice

5 layer dip
&/or nice cheese (Velveeta) & bean dip
& homemade tortilla chips in both flour & corn

good ol' Frito Lays Corn chips
& salsa dip/spicey for me (not from NYC)

sausages/links your favorite style,I like spicey or Italian or both
wrapped in Pillsbury croissants pastry, baked in the oven (obviously)
cook/fry or Micro the sausage a tad 1st, drain,
then roll them up so as not to make it soggy, reg instructions on the pastry

good ol' pizza
or deep-fried fried chicken
is a good starter

 

[Cranky]

Stuck a dozen spicy pork meatballs in the oven and ate 3....for lunch. Yeah, I'm on a diet lol