Quick No-Cook Party Appetizers

Sometimes the best party food is the kind you assemble, not cook. This little collection of retro appetizers proves it, with four effortless bites pulled together with a knife, a melon baller, and almost no time at all.

The smoked oyster tomatoes are the savory standout. A cherry tomato quartered but left intact opens up like a little flower, ready to cradle a briny, smoky oyster in the center.

Lemon apples lean sweet-tart. Unpeeled apple wedges soak in thawed lemonade concentrate, which both flavors them and, thanks to the citrus, keeps the cut fruit from browning.

Sugared strawberries could not be simpler: whole strawberries with their caps left on, served with a bowl of confectioners sugar for dipping, so guests do the work themselves.

The Edam balls are pure showmanship. Scoop cheese into little spheres with a melon baller, pile them back into the hollowed cheese shell, and set out toothpicks for an easy, self-serve nibble.

Pro Tips

• Marinate the apple wedges several hours ahead so they soak up the lemonade and stay bright.
• Drain the smoked oysters so they sit neatly in the tomatoes without leaking oil.
• Leave the strawberry caps on as built-in handles for dipping.
• Assemble most of these just before serving so they look fresh on the platter.

Variations

• Swap smoked oysters for a dab of cream cheese or a small shrimp in the tomatoes.
• Offer frozen orange juice concentrate alongside the sugar for dipping strawberries.
• Use any firm cheese in place of Edam for the cheese-ball trick.