Let's see, something fitting that is going to work for anyone and any occasion. So that leaves the pan fried eggplant with saffron mayonnaise out, and the grilled oysters with fennel butter probably won't appeal to a large enough crowd.

So what is the perfect appetizer? It has to be classy enough to make you look like a sophisticate, it has to be unique enough to impress the guests, and it has to taste delicious so that people will want to eat them.

The only possible answer would be hoisin ginger beef skewers. Close your mouth and stop drooling, you do not want slobber mixed in with the ingredients.

All right now that you have regained your composure it is time to get out all the ingredients you will need. Collect 2 pounds of flank steak (meat from near the cow's abdomen), 1/2 cup of hoisin sauce, 2 tablespoons of lime juice, 1 tablespoon of honey, 1 clove of garlic (minced), 1 teaspoon of salt (preferable kosher), 1 teaspoon of grated fresh ginger, 1 teaspoon of chile-garlic sauce, 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes, 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper, 20 bamboo skewers (about eight inches long, and soaked in water for 20 minutes), 1 tablespoon of toasted sesame seeds, and lastly 2 green onions (choppe
d).

Get a relatively sharp straight edge knife and slice the flank steak across the grain into pieces one inch long and a quarter inch thick. The reason it is good to use a straight edge knife is to keep the meat tender and undamaged.

Serrated blades will tear the muscle fibers in the meat, thus relinquishing many flavory juices during the cooking process. After the meat has been cut set it to the side and grab a large mixing bowl along with a whisk.

Place the hoisin sauce, honey, salt, lime juice, garlic, ginger, chile-garlic sauce, black pepper, and red pepper flakes into the mixing bowl. Whisk them together and then pour the whisked contents of the bowl into a plastic or zip lock baggy.

Add the steak slices to the bag and let it marinate for 2 to 12 hours, the longer the marinating, the tastier the meat. Skewer the marinated meat and place onto your outdoor grill turned to medium-high heat.

You will want your skewers to be soaked in water so that they don't light on fire during the cooking process. Cooking should take around 2 to 3 minutes per side, but it is steak and so some people will like it more done and other will like it more raw.

Garnish the cooked skewers with chopped green onions and toasted sesame seeds. Then the last thing you do is eat and enjoy.