party appetizer recipes

Tza-zikki
Tza-zikki

Tza-zikki excerpted from Eat Small Plates: Vibrant, Shareable Dishes for Daily Joy by Ben Siman-Tov and Zikki Siman Tov. Copyright © 2025 Ben Siman-Tov and Zikki Siman Tov. Published by Avery, an imprint of Penguin Random House LLC. Reproduced by arrangement with the Publisher. All rights reserved.

Eat Small Plates: Vibrant, Shareable Dishes for Daily Joy by Ben Siman-Tov and Zikki Siman Tov.

The dynamic couple behind @BenGingi share their favourite mix-and-match-ready recipes for effortless everyday dining and easy hosting

From a serendipitous meeting on a street corner in a tiny town in the Italian Alps to their food studio at the heart of the East Village in New York City, Ben and Zikki have been on a culinary adventure since the very moment they met. Ben’s first gift to Zikki? A half loaf of beetroot sourdough. And their first date? Zikki taught Ben to make potato varenyky, secretly prepping him to help her make 1,000 for an event the following week!

These days, with not a moment to spare, they happily host friends and family and run a sought-after catering business in New York City. Their debut cookbook, Eat Small Plates, is an ode to a style of eating at the heart of their lived experiences together: travelling, creating a family, and building beautiful lasting friendships wherever a meal can be shared. Here, they offer their favourite small plate recipes for greater joy and connection every day.

Ben’s knack for vibrant Israeli flavours and Zikki’s passion for shareable, soul-warming Ukrainian-inspired dishes combine in Eat Small Plates to create bold and exciting recipes for every dinner or gathering. With favourites such as Ben’s freshly baked Pita, Zikki’s crunchy chopped Jewelled Celery Salad, and creamy Cashew Basil dip, this ultimate hosting cheat sheet helps home cooks transform simple ingredients into beautiful, intentional dishes. Ben and Zikki share essential cooking techniques—from charring an eggplant to incorporating pickling into your daily routine—and even tips for those who don’t want to cook at all (but still want to host!). This book is a celebration of the feast-ready lifestyle, and a guide to spreading love through food. (more…)

Isaan-Style Grilled Wings
Isaan-Style Grilled Wings

Isaan-Style Grilled Wings excerpted from Tony Tan’s Asian Cooking Class Hardcover by Tony Tan. Photography by Mark Roper.

Isaan-Style Grilled Wings excerpted from Tony Tan's Asian Cooking Class Hardcover by Tony Tan

“You’ll always leave Tony’s classroom full – both of dim sum and a new perspective on Asian cooking. In this book, he’s sharing his lifetime of expertise and experience with the world. Let Tony be your teacher.”
– Yotam Ottolenghi

“Tony Tan is an Australian national treasure.”
– Helen Goh

“An irresistible journey… where global spices and stories collide in some of the world’s most scintillating flavours.”
– Fuchsia Dunlop

“Tony Tan isn’t an authority on Asian food in Australia – he’s the authority on Asian food in Australia.”
– Pat Nourse

Tony Tan has been cooking, eating, teaching and writing about the foods of Asia for more than four decades. In Tony Tan’s Asian Cooking Class, he shares for the first time more than 150 of his most cooked, beloved and personal recipes from his vast collection. A book for beginners and connoisseurs alike, Tan teaches his contemporary, sometimes adventurous approach to the most important inspirational and evergreen dishes from Malaysia, China, Vietnam, Japan, Singapore, Indonesia, Thailand and beyond. From wok sensations to more elaborate dishes, street foods and original creations, Tan’s warmth, erudition and rigour set his food apart. He moves seamlessly between traditionally distinct cuisines, contextualising them for the home cook. (more…)