I was at a wedding this weekend and I was both surprised and disappointed that they did not serve Pigs in the Blanket. This is my favorite appetizer and I have had them at countless affairs and get togethers. It started to make it think why did they not serve them.
For those who do not know. pigs in a blanket are cocktail frankfurters or hot dogs (or even sausages) wrapped in a crescent roll dough and accompanied by golden brown mustard. I thought this was standard fare so I decided to check out the history of them. This is where it gets confusing.
The general idea of wrapping meat in dough is ancient, with food historians tracing a similar practice of meat wrapped in pastry dough as far back as the 1600s in England and some theories even connecting it to Asian food traditions involving fish wrapped in pastry. Some have argued that it goes back farther than that to East European with bread wrapped meats.
For our purposes, the real introduction to pigs in the blanket in the USA started with the Betty Crocker’s Cooking for Boys and Girls in 1957 for publishing the first known recipe for “pigs in a blanket” using cocktail sausages or hot dogs wrapped in pastry dough. This is a bright line event that can be tied to the growth of its popularity in the late 1950s and thereafter.
So, while the original “pigs in a blanket” is not a Jewish dish, a kosher adaptation using beef or chicken hot dogs has become a very common and beloved food item within Jewish culture, especially in the United States.
It is wildly consumed around the USA. Some people use kosher hotdogs while others use pork sausage or kolaches (and klobasneks) in Texas. They all share the same basic element of a small savory meat (primarily hotdogs) filing wrapped in a dough pastry. This is not traditionally or exclusively a Jewish food. In fact, due to pork being non-kosher, the classic version made with pork-based hot dogs would not be consumed by observant Jewish people.
Pigs in the Blanket are a beloved and universally enjoyed classic appetizer. Others may want Mini Burgers, Stuffed Mushrooms, Shrimp Cocktail, Crab Cakes, Mini Tacos, Sushi Rolls, Mediterranean Mezze but I think that the most loved are the Pigs in the Blanket.
According to New Jersey Bride, these are the most popular wedding appetizers:
- Bacon-wrapped scallops.
- Caprese skewers.
- Crab cakes.
- Mini quiches.
- Pigs in a blanket.
- Shrimp cocktail.
- Sliders.
- Spring rolls.
- Stuffed mushrooms.
I do not necessarily agree with the order but this list does include most of my favorite appetizers. I tend to go with the tried and true but some people like to go fancy. I would add some others like lamb chops, pizza and mini macaroni and cheese. What are your favorite appetizers for events?