Hors d’oeuvres is a French term for appetizers, which are typically consumed in one to three bites. Founder and president of Kathy G. and Company, Kathy G. Mezrano keeps the makings of a party in her refrigerator. “I love hors d’oeuvres and always have products on hand to make them,” she says.

Mezrano’s father was a local produce wholesaler for 50 years so she grew up with fresh Southern vegetables. She still loves them and plans her summer Saturdays around shopping at the Pepper Place Market.
Since she and husband, Louis, follow the Mediterranean diet their fridge offers a colorful bounty of organic, local and Mediterranean products. Whole wheat English muffins or Greek yogurt with honey or fruit is a typical breakfast. On Sundays Mezrano does most of her home cooking, creating braised dishes, soups and stews that can be enjoyed again for dinner during the week. She occasionally creates quick and easy dinners of shrimp scampi, steak or chicken dishes. Salads are also a mainstay: homemade chicken salad, green salads in the summer and cabbage salads in colder months make light meals. But most often dinner is eaten out on the way home from work.

Yet always on hand are the makings of hors d’oeuvres. Louis loves a strong cheddar cheese. They also keep a stock of Belle Chevre goat cheese logs, feta and triple cream cheese.

“I love to take a goat cheese log and top it with fresh chopped tomato, marinated olives, basil or fresh mint and drizzle olive oil over it,” she describes.

Fresh pita bread, crackers or toast points are served with the dish. Hummus is also a favorite, and she makes variations of it including roasted red pepper and green onion. Laurent Perrier Champagne, Villa Maria or Honig Sauvignon Blanc is paired with the hors d’oeuvres. “It makes for a party right out of the fridge,” she laughs. Find Kathy G.’s roasted red pepper hummus recipe at www.BirminghamRestaurants.com/Recipes