An ''amuse-bouche'' (; ) or ''amuse-gueule'' (, ; ) is a single, bite-sized''
hors d'œuvre
An hors d'oeuvre ( ; ), appetiser, appetizer or starter is a small dish (food), dish served before a meal in European cuisine. Some hors d'oeuvres are served cold, others hot. Hors d'oeuvres may be served at the dinner table as a part of the ...
''. Amuse-bouches are different from
appetizers in that they are not ordered from a menu by patrons but are served free and according to the chef's selection alone. These are served both to prepare the guest for the meal and to offer a glimpse of the chef's style.
The term is
French and literally means "mouth amuser". The plural form may be ''amuse-bouche'' or ''amuse-bouches''.
In France, is traditionally used in conversation and literary writing, while ''amuse-bouche'' is not even listed in most dictionaries, being a
euphemistic
A euphemism ( ) is when an expression that could offend or imply something unpleasant is replaced with one that is agreeable or inoffensive. Some euphemisms are intended to amuse, while others use bland, inoffensive terms for concepts that the u ...
hypercorrection
In sociolinguistics, hypercorrection is the nonstandard use of language that results from the overapplication of a perceived rule of language-usage prescription. A speaker or writer who produces a hypercorrection generally believes through a ...
that appeared in the 1980s on restaurant menus and used almost only there. (In French, ''bouche'' refers to the human mouth, while ''gueule'' means the wider mouth of an animal, e.g. dog, though commonly used for ''mouth'' and derogatory only in certain expressions, e.g. "
ferme ta gueule".)
In restaurants
The amuse-bouche emerged as an identifiable course during the
nouvelle cuisine movement, which emphasized smaller, more intensely flavoured courses.
It differs from other ''
hors d'œuvres
An hors d'oeuvre ( ; ), appetiser, appetizer or starter is a small dish (food), dish served before a meal in European cuisine. Some hors d'oeuvres are served cold, others hot. Hors d'oeuvres may be served at the dinner table as a part of the ...
'' in that it is small, usually just one or two bites, and preselected by the chef and offered free of charge to all present at the table.
The function of the amuse-bouche could be played by rather simple offerings, such as a plate of
olive
The olive, botanical name ''Olea europaea'' ("European olive"), is a species of Subtropics, subtropical evergreen tree in the Family (biology), family Oleaceae. Originating in Anatolia, Asia Minor, it is abundant throughout the Mediterranean ...
s or a crock of
tapenade. It often becomes a showcase, however, of the artistry and showmanship of the chef, intensified by the competition among restaurants. According to
Jean-Georges Vongerichten, a popular New York celebrity chef with restaurants around the world, "The amuse-bouche is the best way for a great chef to express his or her big ideas in small bites".
At some point, the amuse-bouche transformed from an unexpected bonus to a ''de rigueur'' offering at
Michelin Guide
The ''Michelin Guides'' ( ; ) are a series of guide books that have been published by the French tyre company Michelin since 1900. The ''Guide'' awards up to three Michelin star (classification), stars for excellence to a select few restaurants ...
-starred restaurants and those aspiring to that category (as recently as 1999, ''
The New York Times
''The New York Times'' (''NYT'') is an American daily newspaper based in New York City. ''The New York Times'' covers domestic, national, and international news, and publishes opinion pieces, investigative reports, and reviews. As one of ...
'' provided a parenthetical explanation of the course).
This in turn created a set of logistical challenges for restaurants: amuse-bouche must be prepared in sufficient quantities to serve all guests, usually just after the order is taken or between main courses. This often requires a separate cooking station devoted solely to producing the course quickly as well as a large and varied collection of specialized china for serving the amuse. Interesting plates,
demitasse cups, and large
Asian-style soup spoons are popular choices. In addition, the kitchen must try to accommodate guests who have an aversion or
allergy
Allergies, also known as allergic diseases, are various conditions caused by hypersensitivity of the immune system to typically harmless substances in the environment. These diseases include Allergic rhinitis, hay fever, Food allergy, food al ...
to ingredients in the ''amuse''.
Gallery
File:Hamachi - amuse bouche.jpg, A Japanese-influenced amuse-bouche: '' hamachi'', salmon roe
Red caviar is a caviar made from the roe of salmonid fishes (various species of salmon and trout), which has an intense reddish hue. It is distinct from black caviar, which is made from the roe of sturgeon.Nichola Fletcher, ''Caviar: A Global ...
, basil, basil flower
File:Amuse Bouche at a French restaurant.jpg, Amuse-bouche served at a French restaurant
File:Amuse bouche (997664859).jpg, Celery soup with sauteed corn
Maize (; ''Zea mays''), also known as corn in North American English, is a tall stout Poaceae, grass that produces cereal grain. It was domesticated by indigenous peoples of Mexico, indigenous peoples in southern Mexico about 9,000 years ago ...
and jicama
See also
*
"Amuse-Bouche" (''Hannibal'')
*
Apéritif and digestif
References
External links
*
{{DEFAULTSORT:Amuse-bouche
Appetizers
Courses (food)
French cuisine
Culinary terminology