appetizer n [Appar a specialized use of std appetizer something to whet the appetite, but prob influenced by appetizing n, which is (in combs) earlier attested.] chiefly NYC area; also sFL and other urban areas with concentrations of Jewish population
1 pl: Ready-to-eat foods typically eaten on or with bagels or other breadstuffs, esp lox or other salted or smoked fish and cream- and other cheeses; also prepared salads, pickles, dried fruits, nuts and other preserved goods, but originally not including any meat products. Note: The origin of this last limitation is the Jewish dietary law that forbids consuming meat and milk products together.
1946 Poughkeepsie New Yorker (NY) 20 Nov 8/5, [Advt:] Poughkeepsie Delicatessen and Appetizer . . We Will Carry a Full Line of Strictly Kosher Delicatessen. . . Appetizers—• Smoked Salmon • White Fish • Chicken Carp • Butterfish • Sturgeon • Salt Herring • Pickled Herring. 1977 Newsday (Nassau ed.) (Hempstead NY) [7 Dec] sec 2 45, [Advt:] Drop into Waldbaum’s fabulous Appetizing Department for the most exciting fish story since “Jaws”! Nova Scotia or Alaskan lox. . . Delectable fish salads. Tangy herring filets. . . appetizers—lean roast beef . . fresh bagels . . cream cheese . . New Sauerkraut . . white chicken roll . . kosher deli sale . . Whitefish chubs . . fish salads . . wide bologna . . sweet Munchee cheese . . herring fillets . . noodle pudding . . large knishes. 1985 Asbury Park Press (NJ) 27 Jan sec B 2/2, The sliver of a store is still marked by the sign “Moss Appetizers” denoting the former owner James Moss.
2 attrib in var combs:
a appetizer store, also abbr appetizer. Cf appetizing n 2a
1928 Brooklyn Daily Eagle (NY) 14 May B/8, [Advt:] Will sell dairy, grocery, appetizer store. 1946 Poughkeepsie New Yorker (NY) 20 Nov 8/5, [Advt:] Grand Opening Thursday . . Poughkeepsie Delicatessen and Appetizer . . We Will Carry a Full Line of Strictly Kosher Delicatessen. 1948 Brooklyn Eagle (NY) 20 Dec 11/7, Sylvia Rosen . . joined with her mother, Pauline, in running the appetizer store at No. 270. . . Rosen’s is a small store and when you open the door it smells good. Pickled green tomatoes, Greek olives in oil, dried apricots, pears, prunes and raisins, smoked salmon, whitefish, carp and mackerel and kippered herring and bloaters contribute to the aroma. 1951 Boston Daily Globe (MA) 23 Oct 24/2, [Advt:] Must Sell Egg, creamery and appetizer store in Jewish neighborhood. 1957 Miami Herald (FL) 12 Jan sec B 8/2, [Advt:] Experienced man for kosher type delicatessen and appetizer retail store. 1968 NY Mag. 22 July 35/2, The basic stock in the appetizing stores (sometimes called appetizers) consists of an impressive array of ready-to-eat pickled, smoked and salted fish, fish and vegetable salads, sour pickles, tomatoes, peppers, sauerkraut, a variety of breads and rolls, dried fruits, nuts and candies. All these wares are generally displayed and dispensed before a multi-colored background wall of canned specialty foods. 1971 Newsday (Suffolk ed.) (Hempstead NY) 5 Oct sec 2 13/1, Lox and herring salad. Nirvana. Nothing stirs the soul like the things that come from the appetizer store, which is sometimes called by herring mavens the appetizing store. Ungrammatical but infinitely more descriptive. 1998 Newsday (Suffolk ed.) (Hempstead NY) 1 Nov sec G 32/1, Toddy’s in Cedarhurst has been open on Saturdays since the appetizer store was established in the mid-1940s.
b appetizer department. Cf appetizing n 2c
1924 Std. Union (Brooklyn NY) 21 Dec 13/1, Arnoff conducts an appetizer department in a public market at Eighteenth avenue and Seventy-seventh street. 1946 Poughkeepsie New Yorker (NY) 20 Nov 8/5, [Advt:] Poughkeepsie Delicatessen and Appetizer . . We Will Carry a Full Line of Strictly Kosher Delicatessen. Our Appetizer Department Will Be Complete to the Finest Selections of Smoked Fish, Imp. and Domestic Cavier [sic], Herring, Etc. 1965 Ft. Lauderdale News (FL) 10 June sec C 5/4, [Advt:] Free! 1-lb. Kosher Franks when you buy 1-lb. at 99ȼ in our Appetizer Dept. 1972 Asbury Park Eve. Press (NJ) 8 Oct sec D 21/3, [Advt:] Appetizer Dept.! Store Sliced Danish Boiled Ham. 2018 Record (Hackensack NJ) 26 Jan sec BL 11/6, Fairway has the bonus of its appetizer department and their paper-thin, cut-to order belly lox or nova.
c appetizer man. Cf appetizing n 2b
1950 Miami Herald (FL) 17 May sec C 10/4, [Advt:] Experienced delicatessen and appetizer man. . . Apply Raphil’s Delicacy Shop. 1950 Asbury Park Eve. Press (NJ) 15 July 12/5, [Advt:] Thoroughly experienced—Kosher delicatessen & appetizer man. 1971 Newsday (Suffolk ed.) (Hempstead NY) 5 Oct sec 2 13/2, Slicing is the measure of your appetizer man. If he gets five slices to the quarter pound [of lox] he’s a three-star cutter. 1984 Daily News (NY NY) 26 Mar sec M 8/4, [Advt:] Deli/appetizer man. Must have 5 yrs exp. & references. Riverdale location.