HORS D’OEUVRES
Hors d’oeuvre is a French word which means “starters” or “appetizers” and its true definition is a preparation served outside of the menu proper, at the beginning of the meal before the main course.
It comes from the French term outside (hors) and goes back to the early times when at banquets, the appetizer (hors d’oeuvre) was served in a separate room (ante chamber/room) while the guests assembled and waited for the arrival of the host and the chief guest.
Hors d’oeuvre or appetizer as it is called in English can be described as a small tidbit, which should be light, delicate attractive and tasty. The term hors d’oeuvre should never be spelt with the final s, since there is plural form for the term in French.
An hors d’oeuvre can be either in the solid form (appetizer) or in the liquid form (aperitif) which may be an alcoholic or non-alcoholic beverage.
GARNISHES
might seem like decoration tossed on the side of a plate as an afterthought, but they play a significant role in the diner’s experience of food. Usually consisting of an edible component, garnishes brighten the plate, give a clue to the flavor of the meal, complement the taste of the dish or fill empty space on the plate.
FRENCH GARNISHES
Brunoise – one to three mm diced vegetables
Chiffonade – finely shredded lettuce or sorrel stewed in butter
Croutes – small pieces of halved French bread buttered and oven dried
Coulis – (a thicker soup) drizzled decoratively
Croutons – small pieces of bread (typically cubes) fried in butter or other oil
Julienne – thinly sliced vegetables
Pasta (tapioca, sago, salep) etc.
Pluches – a whole leaf spray of herbs, without the central stalk (traditionally chervil)
Profiterolles – puff pastry stuffed with purée Royale – a small decoratively shaped piece of egg custard (in German this is called an Eierstich)
Threaded eggs