Whetting Your Appetizer

Today’s society uses “snack item,” “appetizer” and “hors d’oeuvre” synonymously. Traditionally, however, there is a difference. Snack items are small bites meant to be eaten on their own. An hors d’oeuvre, translated as “outside the meal,” is a small, hand-held, one- or two-bite item served separate from or as the prelude to the meal. The appetizer is designed as the starting point or first course, and should complement the rest of the dishes to follow. Ultimately, the main difference between an hors d’oeuvre and appetizer is not the food, but when it is served.

Through the ages

Appetizers have played a role in the dining experience since first-century Rome. Upper-class Romans ate eggs and a variety of fruits as part of a three-course meal. Indeed, throughout the ages, primarily the upper class enjoyed appetizers, due to the large disparity in social and economic class distinctions.

Before the 20th century, wealthy Americans enjoyed the Old World tradition of appetizers, which consisted mostly of soups, oysters on the half shell or dainty open-faced sandwiches laid out on the table before the main meal. In the 1900s, chunks of celery stuffed with sardine paste were the standard. By the 1920s, recipes featured celery stuffed with a variety of meat and cheeses.

Some theorize that the appetizer gradually eased into mainstream American menus as cocktail appetizers served during Prohibition. Originally, these started as hors d’oeuvres or nibbles set out at the bar for patrons to eat, and to delay the effects of the alcohol so they would drink more. This introduced Americans to the practice of consuming a small portion or tidbit before eating the main meal.

By the 1940s, appetizers consisting of meats, anything-goes stuffed items and a variety of vegetable rings had gained popularity. At that time, James Beard broadened the public’s view of appetizers by describing dips in his cookbook, Hors d’Oeuvre and Canapés, writing, “I think it is delightful to have large bowls of cheese mixtures that are of a consistency that permits ‘dunking.’” His description of a variety of dips led to the popularity of this appetizer style.

In the 1980s, chefs introduced the concept of “grazing,” intending to challenge customers’ palates with a variety of flavors rather than exhausting them with one item. In the 1990s, restaurateurs expanded their appetizer menus, coaxing the customer to try a variety of items and make a meal out of several appetizers, in lieu of an entrée. The menu phrase “little plates” signified appetizers’ entrance into the spotlight and the increasing sophistication of American diners.

Appetizers are taking an increasingly important role in today’s dining experience. Not just for foodies or the elite, the concept is now familiar to most Americans. In the past two decades, as consumers ate more meals outside the home, they were introduced to and became more accepting of the grazing and “little plate” concepts. Today, menus in all types of restaurants, from five-star resorts like American Club, Kohler, WI, to restaurant chains such as Arby’s, highlight appetizers. The food industry recognizes their perceived value and is offering more variety to consumers through these small plates.

For the restaurant or vendor, appetizers are a chance to increase sales. For the consumer, they pose an opportunity to taste a variety of items and promote a more interactive communal dining experience. Now, a group of people will commonly order several starters, and share them so that everyone can try different items.

Foreign translations

Most cultures embrace the concept of appetizers, from the Italian antipasto (“before the pasta”) to Lebanese mezza. Some exceptions are the Vietnamese and Thai cuisines, which traditionally serve all courses at once for the whole group to share, similar to family-style dining.

Two cultures that have fully embraced the idea of sampling small dishes are the Spanish and the Chinese. In Spain, the word “tapa” translates as “cover.” Tapa defines a style of eating rather than a particular kind of food — a tradition that most likely originated in Andalusia, a southern province of Spain. The appetizers originally consisted of a slice of ham or sausage, served on the top of a glass of sherry. This was to oblige King Felipe II, who passed a royal decree requiring tavern keepers to accompany each glass of wine with a tapa, to reduce public drunkenness. Today, the ingredients vary based on the region or season and the creativity of the cook. Some common tapas are simple marinated olives, seared scallops with saffron-orange aïoli, and sausage smothered with sweet and sour figs.