PIECES COCKTAIL

At the opening party for the Felissimo Design House in New York in 2001, guests never had to wait for a waiter to come by with food. They could pick hors d’oeuvres right from the wall of an installation by French artist Dorothee Selz.

Instead of drinking a cocktail, Windows Catering Company serves beverages like sangria in solid form.

Esprit Events Kosher Catering's modern take on breakfast includes bite-size chocolate chip pancakes with maple syrup and fruit.

Chicago's Boutique Bites has previously created a colorful spring-inspired display of lobster tacos, parmesan truffle popcorn, shrimp tempura lollipops, and mac ’n’ cheese canapés.

At an event at the Queens Botanical Garden, Tip of the Tongue served drinks in flower-clad carts.

Guests at the Stella McCartney resort 2013 presentation could take home prepackaged jars of fruit cobbler.

Vegetarian bento boxes at a Saks Fifth Avenue event contained Israeli couscous, a brie wedge, assorted melon balls with honey-lime dressing, and a lemon meringue tart.

Cocktails at the Alice in Wonderland-inspired National Ballet of Canada gala were served in teacups and topped off with a rabbit wafer.

Boutique Bites pairs mini shots of Guinness with shepherd’s pie with a gougère cup, horseradish potato puree, English peas, pearl onions, and braised beef short rib.

At this summer's Luminescence gala in Chicago, cured salmon lollipops sat atop trays of wheatgrass.

A stationary hors d'oeuvres display idea from Toronto's en Ville Event Design & Catering has fruit, bread, and cheese in a picnic basket with red-and-white checkered details.

Pinch Food Design's make-your-own taco station has ingredients organized on resin pedestal pieces inspired by handcrafted Mexican pottery.

As an alternative to sweet desserts, Windows Catering Company offers caramelized vanilla napoleon with red beet confit.

Good Gracious Events in Los Angeles arranges a selection of tapas on sustainable bamboo risers.

Puff 'n Stuff Catering's leek cheesecake with arugula pesto comes on an edible pesto cracker spoon.

Cork Catering set up a make-your-own s'mores station at the Campfire Ball benefit.

Michael Stuart's substitute for a typical catering tray is to serve short rib tacos on a slab of pink salt.

A Joy Wallace Catering Production's artful seafood hors d'oeuvres station combines mirrors and rocks.

Yogurt trifles by Creative Tastes Catering are served in mason jars with an attached spoon for on-the-go guests.

A Divine Event in Atlanta's dessert display puts blueberry cobbler in iron skillets, blueberry pie on lollipop sticks, and Guinness stout cake in cups.

L-Eat Catering in Toronto displays crudite, dip, and shrimp lollipops on antique carts.

Pinch Food Design offers a different spin on babyback ribs, serving the barbecue classic on a spoon-shaped skewer with creamed corn and jalapeños.

As a late-night snack, Marcey Brownstein Catering & Events serves mini pretzel bites alongside whole grain mustard and shots of Hefeweizen.

SD26 Events' eggplant terrine features sauteed eggplant that is layered with fresh tomatoes and herbs then baked in the oven. The dish is served with a dab of basil pesto and garnished with a parmigiano reggiano-flavored milk foam.

Great Performances can set up a dessert station featuring hanging pastry bags filled with flavored custards that guests can pipe into mini-beignets and profiteroles. Custard flavors include tangerine, mint, three-berry, earl grey, and vanilla bean.

This cucumber feta salad with roasted pepper hummus by Abigail Kirsch makes for an interesting alternative to the standard mixed green salad.

Created by Hell's Kitchen contestant and chef Guy Vaknin, Beyond Sushi is a new store serving vegetarian sushi. Offering catering for private events, the organic menu features unrefined fruits and vegetables wrapped in six-grain and black Chinese forbidden rice, topped with tofu and veggie puree sauces in flavors like jalapeno-wasabi, toasted-cayenne, carrot-ginger, shitake-teriyaki, mango-chili, and white-miso.

Thomas Preti Events to Savor will be serving their s'mores cheesecake as part of their dessert lineup this fall.

Caterers report that pies filled with seasonal fruit are becoming a popular dessert item at events. These latticed fruit pies are by Tip of the Tongue Caterers.

Feast & Fêtes' new "Aioli Presentation" is a spread featuring dishes like poached wild Alaskan salmon, cod confit, and jumbo Carolina shrimp.

Sant Ambroeus is offering an appetizer called "salmone fresco," consisting of smoked salmon topped with chives and a light balsamic reduction.