It’s a retro party with Parmesan toast & rusty nail cocktails. Crunchy savory toasts are perfect with the sweet, aromatic rusty nail.
Recently I’ve become nostalgic about my mom’s cooking and was trying to recall all the appetizers she used to make for her cocktail parties. Nobody seems to have cocktail parties anymore and Mad Men is long since over. However I’ve been wanting to have one. I’m practicing with retro cocktails and apps. I remembered a few of my mom’s recipes and today I am sharing with you her Parmesan toast and a rusty nail. While the toasts are not the prettiest things my husband and I ate them all! They were so simple and delicious! And well the rusty nail is my hubby’s favorite drink. 😉
Let’s start with the toasts. They were the first appetizer that I remembered on my stroll down memory lane. I must have loved them as a kid because their memory stayed with me. They are pretty simple in that they are mini pumpernickel toasts with a spread of caramelized onions, mayo and Parmesan cheese. I am definitely making these again for our next party. They are tasty!
You make the spread by caramelizing the onions in some butter and then mixing it with mayo and Parmesan cheese. Then you lay the toasts out on a cookie sheet and set under the broiler for a few minutes. Next you turn them over and spread the onion mixture on top and broil again. That’s it.
My hubby and his father love their rusty nail cocktails. As you can see we even have rusty nail glasses… a lot of them. It’s a simple drink but it’s strong and it’s sweet. It just has scotch and Drambuie which is made from scotch whisky, honey, herbs and spices. My husband’s recipe is 3 to 1 scotch to Drambuie over ice. The Drambuie is sweet so if you like it on the sweeter side add more Drambuie. To learn more about how to make the perfect rusty nail, check out Esquire’s article.
Parmesan Toast & Rusty Nail Cocktail
So if you are planning a cocktail party any time in the future or just want to try some retro recipes, give these a try. The toasts are really simple but really tasty. I hope to add a few more retro cocktail recipes in the future so keep your eye out for them. Enjoy!
Retro Parmesan Toasts & Rusty Nail Cocktail
Ingredients
- 1 onion minced
- 1 tablespoon butter
- ½ cup mayo
- ¼ cup Parmesan cheese grated
- 24 mini toasts pumpernickel
Instructions
-
Spray a cookie sheet and then lay out all 24 mini toasts.
-
Place under the broiler for 2 minutes to get slightly toasted and take out of the oven.
-
In a saute pan, melt butter and brown onions.
-
Let then onions cool, and then mix with the mayo and Parmesan cheese.
-
Turn toasts over and spread mixture on top.
-
Place under the broiler until brown and bubbly, about 3 minutes.
A few more cocktails to try!
Debbie
This reminds me of the 70’s for sure. I can picture my parents having a get together with friends, and parmesan toasts were appetizers and Rusty Nails would be served. Thanks for the memory!