Hors d'œuvre

Appetizers, finger food - whichever term you use, these tasty tidbits do much more than just tie guests over until dinner. These delicious appetite enhancers are versatile enough to provide party sustenance on their own at an open house, satisfy cravings for midnight munchies or just awaken the appetite in a refreshing first course. However you decide to serve them, appetizers are meant to be enjoyed by both guests and cook. The preparation of these menu additions need not be overwhelming. Some simple, upfront planning will help to maintain the cook’s composure and create a relaxed, festive atmosphere.

Amuse Bouche:  The French terms, amuse bouche and amuse-gueule, meaning “to amuse the mouth”, are are small bites served gratis at the start of a meal. The practice started in fine dining restaurants, and is usually served after the order, while guests await the first course.

Hors d’oeuvres:  A French term for small one or two bite portions of food, that are flavourful and highly seasoned to encourage a guest to drink more. Hors d’oeuvres are "apart from the main work" and served before sitting down to meal service. They may be hot or cold items. Because they are usually eaten while standing, hors d’oeuvres should be finger food that can be eaten without the use of utensils. Hors d’oeuvres include canapés, small tartlets, crudités, or skewered items.

Antipasto:  Defined as “before the pasta”, antipasto is served as the first course in the Italian meal. Traditional antipasto includes salads, cured meats, olives, pepperoncini, mushrooms, anchovies, artichoke hearts, various cheeses, pickled meats, and vegetables.

Meze:  Meze are small dishes served in Greece and the Middle East. They include fresh fruits like melons, cold salads of pickled vegetables, and simple preparations of marinated olives or peppers. Seafood items including grilled octopus, meatballs, sausages, and skewers of grilled lamb meat called souvlakia. Fresh goat’s or sheep’s milk cheeses including feta, and fried cheese known as saganaki are Greek classics. Meze also includes hummus, dolmas (stuffed vegetables), sarmas (stuffed grape leaves), and falafel.

Tapas and Petiscos:  Tapas are small dishes found in Spain and petiscos are similar interpretations from Portugal. It is said that these appetizers originated in bars from the practice of a simple bread offering, used to cover a patrons drink to keep the fruit flies out. The tradition has evolved into full restaurant menus devoted to the idea of serving many different dishes that are shared in a group setting while out on the town. Tapas and petiscos are simple to complex and include marinated olives, skewered vegetables, fried peppers with aioli, roasted potatoes, and ensaladilla (salads). Seafood items include batter fried calamari, thin sliced bacalao (salt cod), sautéed gambas (prawns), or stuffed mejillones (mussels). Cured sausages, including chorizo and Serrano ham, are sliced thin and served with cheeses including Manchego and Castilla. Meat offerings include stews of pork or beef, fried escallops of pork, or albongigas (meatballs). Other offerings include frittatas (Spanish omelettes), empanadillas (filled turnovers), and croquetas (croquettes).

Zakuska:  A Russian term for hors d'oeuvres, zakuski are served buffet style before meals. Menu selections often consists of cured meats and fish, various pickled vegetables such as beets, cucumbers, and garlic, mixed salads, caviar, and breads. As with French hors d’oeuvres, zakuski are usually served away from the dining room.