Have you ever accompanied an evening of game-playing with a bowl of salty chips or slabs of pizza? If so, you know that greasy fingers can be a distraction, with players interrupting the game to grab napkins or even lick their fingers—immediately before grabbing the communal spinner. Gourmet Game Night has the solution: instead of relying on conventional convenience snacks and standbys, you’ve got imaginative, homemade options; instead of greasy hands and game pieces, you’ve got mess-free, bite-sized snacks.
 
Cookbook writer, magazine contributor, and culinary blogger Cynthia Nims offers inventive alternatives that make hands-clean dining easy, including:
 
• Edible wrappers around savory centers (Shrimp Cakes in Shiso Leaves, page 66)
 
• Bite-sized versions of unwieldy classics for easy grabbing between moves (Caesar Dip with Big Croutons and Romaine, page 18)
 
• Edible bases to support tender ingredients (Tuna Tartare on Daikon Slices, page 58)
 
• Innovative mini containers such as shot glasses for liquid fare (Chilled Avocado Soup with Roasted Poblano Cream, page 112)
 
• Neat sweet treats paired with gooey dippers (Brown Butter Pound Cake with Caramel Dip, page 34)
 
• And of course, party-friendly drinks poured by the pitcherful (Pomegranate-Mint Fizz, page 138)
 
 
Cynthia Nims’s creative and contemporary recipes will liven up any event where free hands are of the essence, whether you’re gathering friends for a poker night, rolling those dice for a board-game party, spicing up your bridge club, planning a family Scrabble tournament, or impressing your book club or knitting group! Indeed, Gourmet Game Night proves that you don’t need a fancy night on the town to have fun; instead, gather your friends for satisfying small bites—and hopefully a winning streak—at home.

About the Author
Cynthia Nims studied at La Varenne Ecole de Cuisine and assisted owner Anne Willan with various cookbook projects. She has authored or coauthored twelve cookbooks, including Memorable Recipes, Rover’s, and the Northwest Homegrown Cookbook series. Cynthia has been editor of Simply Seafood magazine and food editor for Seattle Magazine. She contributes to Cooking Light, Coastal Living, and Sunset. Cynthia and her husband live in a house with a game-lover’s basement in Seattle, Washington.

Table of Contents
Contents
x   Acknowledgments
1   Introduction
3   Getting Game
5   About the Recipes
7   The Essentials
8   Basic Techniques
10   Serving Tips
11   Menu Planning
 
Dips and Spreads
18   Caesar Dip with Big Croutons and Romaine
19   Edamame Purée in Cherry Tomatoes
20   Crostini with Wild Mushroom Tapenade
22   Oven-Baked Potato Chips with Onion Dip
24   Radishes with a Trio of Dips
27   Homemade Pretzel Sticks with Three Mustards
29   Crostini with Chicken Liver Mousse and Kumquats
30   Green Pea and Mint Spread with Crispy Pancetta
32   Individual Cheese Fondues with Apples and Ham
34   Brown Butter Pound Cake with Caramel Dip  
36   Personal Chocolate-Port Fondues
 
Skewers and Picks
39   Pickled Grape and Blue Cheese Skewers
40   Grilled Garlicky Mushrooms
41   Wasabi Pea–Crusted Tuna
42   Pork Saltimbocca
43   Herb-Marinated Shrimp
45   Swordfish and Fennel Skewers
46   Spicy Meatballs with Yogurt-Cucumber Dip
48   Lamb and Olive Kebabs
49   Peppered Steak with Balsamic Red Onions
50   Beef Yakitori
52   Mole Flank Steak with Pickled Peppers
 
All-Edibles
55   Aged Cheddar with Dried Cherry–Almond Chutney
56   Artichoke-Stuffed Mushrooms
57   Mini Tostadas with Cumin Black Beans
58   Tuna Tartare on Daikon Slices
59   Herbed Biscuits with Smoked Salmon
60   Salmon Poke in Endive Leaves
62   Polenta Squares with Spicy Sausage and Spinach
64   Stuffed Large Pasta Shells with Kale-Ricotta Filling
65   Baby Baja Tacos
66   Shrimp Cakes in Shiso Leaves
68   Roasted Red Potatoes with Bacon-Chive Crème Fraîche
69   Meringues with Fresh Berry Filling
70   Orange Tuile Cones with Cassata Filling
72   Mocha Cheesecake Bars
73   Cinnamon Meringues with Chocolate Mousse
 
Sandwiches
76   Petits Croque Monsieurs
77   Chicken Salad Sandwiches with Orange and Walnuts
78   Itty Bitty BLTs
80   Pimento Cheese Tower Sandwiches
81   Pork Tenderloin with Rhubarb Chutney
83   Lamb Burgers with Feta
84   Walnut Sablés with Maple-Walnut Cream
86   PB&J Blondie Bites
89   Ice Cream Sandwiches
91   Banana Bread with Hazelnut–Cream Cheese Filling
 
Pastries
95   Almost Bite-Sized Pizzas
97   Olive and Cheese Crackers
98   Roasted Fennel Focaccia with Pecorino
100   Beef Empanadas with Black Beans and Jalapeño
102   Mushroom and Goat Cheese Tartlets
103   Empanadas with Chicken and Walnut
105   Chocolate Tartlets with Brandy Cream
106   Nutella and Banana Galettes
108   Raspberry and Cream Cheese Turnovers
 
Small Dishes
110   Cumin Spiced Nuts
111   Sage Popcorn
112   Chilled Avocado Soup with Roasted Poblano Cream
114   Green Gazpacho
115   Lentil and Carrot Soup with Cilantro Purée
116   Celery, Radish, and Parsley Salad with Lemon Dressing
118   Fennel and Corn Salad
119   Baked Clams with Smoked Paprika
121   Curried Coconut Soup with Shrimp
122   Masala Crab Salad with Mango
124   Mini Shepherd’s Pies
126   Kir Royale Floats
127   Butterscotch Panna Cotta
128   Coconut–Star Anise Rice Pudding
 
Drinks
130   Manhattans with Spiced Cherries
131   Fresh Greyhounds
132   Rosemary Martinis
134   Lava Lounge Punch
136   Strawberry-Ginger Champagne Cocktails
137   Bloody Marys with Fresh Horseradish
138   Pomegranate-Mint Fizz
140   Key Lime Gimlet Cocktails
141   Orange Negronis
142   Watermelon-Rosé Sangria
143   Mocha Almond Java
 
144   Appendix: Game Stores
146   Index