When I started dating a Brit, I vowed to never start picking up any British-isms, at the risk of sounding like the ultra-pretentious hipsters described here or, worse, Madonna.  However, there is one British phrase that I absolutely cannot resist and adore – “bits and bobs”.  According to Wiktionary, “bits and bobs” means “a random assortment of things; small remaining pieces and things”, but I like to use the term to describe the little bites that accompany our drinks during cocktail hour.  It is so much more whimsical and fun than “appetizers” or “hors d’oeurves” {still have to look up how to spell that word}, and broader in scope than “tapas”.

The best bits and bobs {in my opinion} are those that are incredibly easy to prepare, but have high impact.  These were inspired by Ina Garten’s smoked salmon blinis, without the headache of the blinis.  Instead, I take a miniature loaf of pumpernickel bread, cut out circles {totally NOT necessary}, brush with melted butter and toast in the oven to achieve a lovely crispness, which I think goes well with the satiny-ness of the smoked salmon.  These bits and bobs are excellent with champagne or any cocktail really {mine were enjoyed with Negronis}.

Recipe continued after the jump…

Recipe

Makes 18 canapes

• 18 slices of a small loaf of pumpernickel bread
• 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
• 1/2 pound smoked salmon, thinly sliced
• 1/4 c. creme fraiche
• Lemon sea salt {if you can find it} or regular sea salt
• Fresh dill sprigs, for garnish
• Fresh chives, finely chopped, for garnish

Preheat oven to 400°.  If desired, cut each square slice of bread into circles using a 1 inch sized circular cookie cutter.  Place slices on parchment lined baking sheet.  Brush melted butter on both sides of each slice.  Bake slices for 10-15 minutes, until slightly golden brown.  Let cool slightly.

To serve, top the canape with a piece of smoked salmon.  Add a dollop of creme fraiche {as you can see, my dollops weren’t especially uniform}, sprinkle with sea salt, freshly cracked pepper and chives, and top with a sprig of dill.

Thank you for reading!