Foodie Faves: Mini Parfait Glasses

Today’s bloguette is about a completely wonderful serving option for appetizers and many kinds of desserts. They’re 2½-ounce parfait glasses, from Libbey. I ordered mine from the Libbey website, but you can also get them from J.C. Penney; and I’ve just discovered a similar set of eight 3-oz glasses from Crate & Barrel.

P.F. Chang's are a bit larger than mine.

I started looking for something like these little glasses after a trip to P.F. Chang. As always, you can find anything on the web.

So how do I use them? Let me count the ways...

1. Mostly, I use them for desserts of all kinds. Any sort of mousse or chiffon is great in them. Say you want to make a lemon chiffon pie. Try instead making the crumb crust: bake it, then crumble a bit in the bottom of each of little glass. Now make the filling and spoon it on top. Add a small dollop of whipped cream, and you can serve one pie to a dozen people. I used to do this sort of thing with balloon wine glasses, but have discovered that most people – at least the women – are happier with a smaller dessert.

As they are, technically, small parfait glasses, the same technique works with layers of yogurt, granola, and fruit. Also ice cream and fruit, ice cream and jam, whipped cream and fruit that’s been marinated in liqueur,... and the list goes on.

2. I use them to serve cold soup as an hors d’oeuvre. I’ll set out a tray with several glasses already filled, then add a glass pitcher with extra soup, and a tray for the empties. Or I might serve a plate of 3-4 different “bites” as a first course, and include a small glass of a cold soup as one of the bites. Visually, it adds a nice touch to the landscape of the plate.

This is gazpacho with a hit of balsamic glaze.

3. I use them as individual flower vases for a dinner party, with, say, a single rose in each one at every place setting.

4. I haven’t done this, but could imagine using them to serve cordials after dinner. They only hold 2 ounces, remember?

Let me know if you come up with another good idea. Happy Friday!