What do cured olives,
preserved anchovies, patatas bravas, dim sum, kebabs and fattoush all have in
common with each other? Each spoonful of hummus or nibble of bruschetta is part
of an intricate, culinary tradition of serving finger foods before the main
courses of a meal. Whether Middle Eastern, Spanish, French, Italian or Chinese
cuisine; the objective remains constant; to linger over varied bite sized
offerings, sharing food and conversation with pleasant company.
As the word ‘appetizer’ suggests, they are
meant to whet the appetite before a meal in which case they are typically light
and limited. Conversely,
appetizers served at cocktail parties are more bountiful and heavier as they
replace a meal such as lunch or dinner and decelerate the effects of alcohol.
Appetizers can be as simple as chips and dip or bowls of roasted nuts or
extravagant concoctions of meat, seafood and exotic cheeses, fruits and
vegetables. Mixing hot and cold hors d'oeuvres is common as is offering low
calories selections alongside more indulgent ones. In this day and age, other
dietary factors also determine the selections with gluten, sugar and dairy free
options a part of an appetizer platter. In this regard, the popular cuisines of
the world offer unlimited culinary inspiration which can be adapted to serve up
a truly gourmet experience.
Dim sum, the
steamed or fried morsels of meat, seafood, vegetables or fruit usually served
in a small basket or on a small dish is an excellent place to begin. A
Cantonese term, dim sum literally translates to "dot heart" or
"order heart" and means to order to one's heart's content.
Traditional dim sum includes various types of steamed buns such as char siew
bao, dumplings or rice rolls, containing a range of ingredients, including
vegetarian options steamed green vegetables, congee porridge and other soups.
Historically
the hors d'oeuvres are the French equivalent of Mezze, Antipasto or Dim sum and
indicate small portions of food served at the beginning of a meal. But trust the
French to do things in style. Even before the hors d'oeuvres, come the
amuse-bouche; bite sized, savoury snacks offered by the chef before the entrée
to "entertain the mouth" or “tease the mouth” and often accompanied
by a proper complementing wine. Amuse-bouche is served as an excitement of
taste buds to both prepare the guest for the meal and to offer a glimpse into
the chef's approach to cooking.
Antipastos
are dishes served before (anti) the pasta (pasto) course in Italy. Unlike
finger food which is picked up from platters while standing, Antipasto is actually
a course in their own right and served at the table at the beginning of an
Italian meal. Usually a central antipasto plate will be set before diners with
small plates for each diner to enjoy their selections as a warm-up to the other
courses. Antipasto can be a selection of a variety of things. Traditional
offerings include cured meats, marinated seafood or vegetables, olives, pepperoncini
(not meat but small marinated chilli peppers), cheeses like fresh mozzarella cheese,
bruschetta or toasted bread which can be stacked with meat or cheese and drizzled
or dipped in olive oil.
In some
parts of Spain, like León and Granada, drinks are usually served with Tapa or a
small quantity of food included in the price of drinks (usually a beer or
wine). Tapas are said to have evolved from the tradition of a ‘tapa’ or cover
–usually a piece of bread or a flat card- that would be placed on top of a
drink to protect it, which at some juncture began to be topped with a little
snack. This snack has today evolved into a tradition of small quantities of
food usually sold or served complimentary with drinks in Spain. They can be as
little as a few olives, a piece of cheese, or as substantial as a stew and can
be eaten individually as a snack or clubbed together for a full meal.
Zakuski are
often described as Russia's answer to tapas — a little bite to have with your
drink. They can be as simple as salted herring, or as rich as blini and caviar.
Traditionally, when welcoming guests in from the cold, a warming shot of vodka
is offered. And to protect the stomach and palate from the harsh vodka, it is
quickly followed by a bite of zakuski. And the dishes on the zakuski table tell
the story of Russia. From pickled vegetables that remain unspoiled through the
long Russian winters to the walnut sauce and canned sprats from the new
territories joining in the Soviet Era. Interestingly this period was also the
era of mayonnaise, which brought several mayo-blanketed salads to the table.
Appetizers from
around the world can be spectacular delights in their flavours and textures, be
it tapas from sunny Spain, an elegant French amuse-bouche or a colourful Mediterranean
mezze.
Photo Credits: foodgawker.com
UN-320 core and large fire enamel dial is replica watches contained in the 40 mm stainless steel case, a leather watch strap replica watches collocation. The streamline design is simple and generous, hour and minute hands lined with classic Rome digital time scale, the 6 o'clock position is small seconds and circular calendar swiss replica watches window display. The wearer can easily adjust the date forward and back, is a major achievement of mechanical watches
ReplyDeletecoach outlet
ReplyDeletepolo outlet
kate spade outlet
ugg boots
yeezy boost 350
canada goose jackets
oakley sunglasses wholesale
valentino outlet store
nike outlet
polo outlet
20171225wanglili
I really admire how you have provided us with detailed information of the various appetizers around the world. It is quite evident that you are quite knowledgeable in matters to do with natural and healthy food stuffs. You may want to click on: Research Paper Writing Help for professional writing assistance.
ReplyDelete