Hors d'oeuvre

An hors d'oeuvre (/ɔːr ˈdɜːrv(rə)/ or DURV(-rə); French: hors-d'œuvre [ɔʁ dœvʁ] ⓘ), appetiser[1] or starter[2] is a small dish served before a meal[3] in European cuisine.

Hors d'œuvre in French literally means 'outside the work', that is "not part of the ordinary set of courses in a meal".

[10][self-published source] However, it may be that the custom originated in China, possibly coming through the Steppes, into Russia, Scandinavia, France and other European countries.

Many national customs are related, including the Swedish smörgåsbord, Russian zakuska, middle eastern mezze, and Italian antipasto.

[13] As early as 500 CE, the Babylonian Talmud (Yoma 83b) recounts the practice of feeding sweet desserts to a person before the main course of a meal in order to revive his strength and increase his appetite (Aramaic: מגרר גריר).

[15] With the introduction in the 17th century of service à la française, where all the dishes are laid out at once in very rigid symmetrical fashion, entremets began to change in meaning but were still mainly savoury.

[12][15] Hors d'oeuvres were originally served as a canapé of small toasted bread with a savoury topping before a meal.

[17] In the French publication Les plaisirs de la table, Edouard Nignon stated that hors d'oeuvres originated in Asia.

[24] A typical Edwardian dinner might consist of up to four courses[25] that include two soups, two types of fish, two meats, ending with several savouries then sweets.

[11][12] Prior to the First World War, American dinner guests would be expected to enter the dining room immediately where drinks would be served at the table with appetisers.

[12][14] It is the cocktail party that helped transfer the hors d'oeuvres from the formal dining table to the mobility of the serving tray.

[35] Though any food served before the main course is technically an hors d'oeuvre, the phrase is generally limited to individual items, such as cheese or fruit.

[36] It could be pickled beets or anchovy eggs as topping over tomatoes as part of the initial "drinks" session such as of alcoholic or non-alcoholic beverages.

They are also served in the forms of dips, spreads, pastries, olives or nuts with or without a base of egg, cheese, meats, vegetables, seafood or breads.

[31] Single cold items served are smoked salmon, avocado pear, caviar, pâté, shellfish cocktails and melon with garnishes and decorations.

[37] In Mexico, botanas refers to the vegetarian varieties[49] commonly served in small portions in wine bars.

[54] In Vietnamese Đồ nguội khai vị ("cold plate first course") is the name for an hors d'oeuvre.

In Italian antipasto means it is served cold in the form of olive, cheese, pickled vegetables[unreliable source?

];[54] other similar hors d'oeuvres can be found in the rest of Southern Europe under different names (entrada in Portuguese, entrante or entremés in Spanish).

This diversity, along with the Americanization of entertaining in the mid 20th century led to the Hawaiian Cocktail and the pūpū (hors-d'oeuvre) served at the beginning of luaus.

[75] This invention of a faux Polynesian experience is heavily influenced by Don the Beachcomber, who is credited for the creation of the pūpū platter and the drink named the Zombie for his Hollywood restaurant.

[78] Eventually Trader Vic would create the Mai Tai in his restaurants in the San Francisco Bay Area and the Tiki bar would become an American cocktail tradition.

[77] Hors d'oeuvres, also called amuse-bouches, served around bars in Australia are oysters and alsace foie gras.

[81] Kiribati appetisers served include pastes made from chickpeas and eggplant, meat dishes with spices and wheat.

[82] Samoan foil chicken and roast pork, tidbits of meat in a smoky, spicy sauce are appetisers in Samoa.