ONE MORE BITE

Tapas, small plates, appetizers, finger foods ... Whatever you want to call it, it's a fun way to dine and an easy way to entertain. Entertaining tends to be more casual and spontaneous, especially in the summer. Whether you're at the beach or at home on your deck, tapas is the way to go.

There's nothing more American than celebrating the Fourth of July. Warm weather, good friends, delicious food and fireworks have a certain nostalgic flair. As we get wrapped up in mom, hot dogs and apple pie, we can build on those memories and create our own.

Salads are great main-dish meals, especially in summer, when we're less eager to turn on the oven. We all have our favorite green salads, but how often do we mix fruit and greens together? The result can be very refreshing.

Fresh basil pesto is one of the joys of summer. Fragrant, flavorful and green, it's a refreshing change from traditional tomato sauce in pasta dishes. It can liven up a pasta salad, sandwich or omelet, and it's great as a dip for raw vegetables.

This Father's Day, treat Dad to some of his favorite foods. There's good weather in the forecast, so if he really enjoys cooking on the grill, maybe there will be some barbecuing on the agenda.

Cookouts, picnics, family reunions and good friends ... That's what holiday weekends are all about. Fire up the grill with burgers, ribs, hot dogs and steaks for some easy, fun, stress-free entertaining. 

As Mother's Day approaches, we look for ways to show this very special person in our lives that we appreciate all that she does. At Eddie's you can find everything you need to show Mom your love.

Marinating fresh fish is like taking an easy shortcut to flavor. Where beef and poultry may need to marinate for hours, and sometimes days, to ensure that the ingredients penetrate and tenderize the meat, fish needs only minutes of marinating to impart flavor into its delicate tissue.

The spring holidays of Passover and Easter are fast approaching. Holiday plans are under way, along with the added stress involved with preparing and entertaining. Eddie's catering allows you to keep up with traditions and enjoy your celebration, too.

Now that we're starting to come out of hibernation after that awful winter, we're thinking about entertaining again. One of the easiest ways to put a party together -- especially at the last minute, or when you have precious little time to prepare -- is to assemble a cheese board. There's no cooking required, and you can set it up in advance. If you plan well, you won't need too much else in the way of hors d'oeuvres, and if it's a cocktail party rather than dinner, the lion's share of the work is done!