The canapé that stops a nation

Galloping horses may be the Melbourne Cup’s raison d'être, but the real action isn’t on a field or fashionista’s head. Nope, our enthusiasm lies smack-bang on a plate and sits pretty in a glass. We’re talking canapés, cocktails and a neat idea known as the sweepstake cookie

1. Gather round and place your bets

Sweeten up the office sweepstakes this year by swapping numbers on paper to numbers on iced cookies! The recipe makes more than you'll need, so extra bikkies can be doled out to Cup Winner, Best Dressed and Person Whose Outfit Most Resembles a Horse.

Source: China Squirrel

2. Cocktail or Champagne? Let’s do both.

Channel your inner '60s starlet with these prawn cocktails in cucumber cups. Juicy, creamy and crunchy, these one-bite morsels will leave you with a spare hand… for Champagne, of course.

3. As the afternoon wears on…

If refreshment is in order, this martini from the food dept. packs one helluva punch. Combining lychee, vodka and a hit of chilli, you’ll be wishing the Cup had a round two.

4. This chick’s a Makay-pea diva

For deep-fried delights, we turn to O Tama Carey’s cauliflower and black olives bites. Coated with a chickpea and caraway seed batter, and seasoned with sprigs of rosemary, these crispy, salty snacks make beverages taste even better.

5. When the odds are stacked against you

We can’t all bet on the winner, but we can all eat cake. This blueberry, coconut and lemon stack pie is a sweet way to soften the blow for those without luck.

Blueberry, coconut and lemon stack pie Source: Brett Stevens

6. Who’s on horseback?

A throwback to cocktail parties of times gone by, these devilishly cute canapés are unbelievably easy to make. Requiring just dates, mango chutney and prosciutto, we think they’re the best things on horseback you’ll see all day.

7. Cheese plate. We definitely need a cheese plate.

No party is complete without a Blue, Brie and Washed Rind. Serve with cornichons, pitted dates and Anneka Manning’s oat biscuits. Similar to Digestives, these crackers also work well in sweet scenarios. Chocolate fountain, anyone?

8. Dress like a kid, drink like an adult

Feathered mohawks, cats’ ears and colour-clashing suits, contemporary racewear is all about making a splash. Let the playfulness continue into your cup with a serve of Matthew Evans’s grown-up strawberry slushie. It’s laced with Grand Marnier and vodka, so don’t say we didn’t warn you!

Source: Alan Benson

9. There’s something horse-y about these radishes

Want an easy answer to the Cup catering dilemma? Cut up cucumbers and baby radishes to accompany creamed smoked trout and horseradish. You’ll be praised as the person who thought to bring vegetables.

10. The moment we’ve all been waiting for

Co-workers with special dietary requirements are often overlooked. Please these peeps with Rowie Dillon’s passionfruit melting moments. You’re more likely to pick the victorious jockey than guess the bikkies are gluten-free.

Melting moments Source: Harper Collins

11. Another kind of cup

If celebrations kick on and you need to sip something less sparkly, prepare a jug of Pimm’s. Invented in 1823, the original gin-based drink was served in a small tankard known as the No. 1 cup.

Pimms-cup_1693071615

For more Melbourne Cup bites, cordials and cocktails, check out our recipe collection here.