Finger foods are small, individual portions of food that are eaten out of hand. They are often served at social events. The ideal finger food usually does not create any mess (such as crumbs or drips), but this criterion is often overlooked in order to include foods like tacos. [1] One origin for finger foods is the French canapé.
Finger foods do not share common origin, history, or identity. Most of them originate in hors d'oeuvre such as the canapé. During the Middle Ages formal French meals were served with entremets between the serving of plates. These secondary dishes could be either actual food dishes, or elaborate displays and even dramatic or musical presentations. In the 14th century, recipes for entremets were mostly made with meat, fish, pork and vegetables. By the 15th century the elaborate display and performances were served up between courses, and could be edible or displays of subjects relevant to the host, created in butter sculpture or other types of crafted work. [2] 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. Along with this came elaborate silver and ceramic table displays as well as pièces montées. The entremets were placed between the other dishes within the main work of the meal. [2] One kind of finger food is the French canapé, known since the late 1700s. Canapés began as slices of toasted or fried bread with various toppings. Their name, literally 'sofa', was inspired from how the toppings "sat" on the bread as though it were a sofa. Over time, canapés became a word to describe all finger foods served at parties.
Drinks before dinner became a custom towards the end of the 19th century. As this new fashion caught on, the British took inspiration from the French to begin serving hors d'oeuvres before dinner. [3] A cocktail party is considered a small gathering with mixed drinks and light snacks. [4] Hors d'oeuvres may be served as the only food offering at cocktail parties and receptions, where no dinner is served afterward. [5] After the end of prohibition in the United States, the cocktail party gained acceptance. [6] [7] 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. This changed by the 1920s, when hors d'oeuvres were served prior to a non-alcoholic cocktail; however, after the repeal of Prohibition in the United States, cocktail parties became popular with many different hors d'oeuvres meant as something to help counter the stronger drinks. [7] [8] It is the cocktail party that helped transfer the hors d'oeuvres from the formal dining table to the mobility of the serving tray. These appetisers passed around the cocktail party may also be referred to as canapés. [8]
Canapés were often served in speakeasies during American Prohibition. Following the enactment of American Prohibition laws in 1920, many people drank in secret, often in speakeasies. To ensure that guests did not appear intoxicated after leaving to avoid detection, speakeasies often served finger foods throughout the night. These finger foods also allowed guests to eat while drinking because of the food's small size. [9]
After Prohibition, canapés were often served at cocktail parties. [9]
Even in today's culture, finger foods continue to be prominent, appearing at both casual and more formal events. They are easy to prepare, portable, and diverse to suit various tastes. Their history is a large part of what makes them so unique today, but they have transformed quite a bit over the ages, not just in terms of variety but also in terms of general availability.
The Super Bowl is one of the biggest modern showcases for finger foods. Super Bowl Sunday has become known for casual finger foods like sliders, nachos, and buffalo wings, invented in 1964 at Anchor Bar in Buffalo, New York. These foods capture the ultimate convenience and camaraderie with contemporary finger food, providing guests with various bites as they move about. [10]
While more informal finger foods reign supreme at sporting events and casual gatherings, upscale versions—often termed passed hors d'oeuvres—are found at weddings, corporate events, and fancy receptions.
Finger foods can serve as both quick bites and key components of meals, making adaptations that blur the line between casual and formal dining.
The evolution of finger foods also highlights this concept's adaptability and enduring appeal, as they have adapted to different cultural, social, and culinary contexts throughout history. [10]
There is a wide variety of finger foods. Contemporary finger foods are often served as fast food as well as at formal events. [11] [12] [1]
Finger foods are diverse worldwide, with different cultures having their traditions, foods, and social customs that dictate what finger foods are. Depending on where you find yourself, these small bites could be considered appetizers, snacks, or even main dishes. [13]
Finger foods abound in the Mediterranean region, often called meze, antipasti, or hors d’oeuvres. They include hummus and pita bread, dolmas (stuffed grape leaves), and several marinated olives and cheeses. In Southern Europe, small toasted bread topped with savory ingredients, such as crostini and bruschetta, are also popular in Italy. Tapas in Spain offer myriad choices, including patatas bravas, albondigas (meatballs), and jamón ibérico. [14]
Middle Eastern cultures have brought us many finger foods in the halal diet. Favorites include falafel, kibbeh, samosas, and spreads such as baba ghanoush, served with fresh flatbreads. These meals prioritize robust spices, fresh herbs, and wholesome ingredients. Cookbooks like My Halal Kitchen illustrate how these foods position themselves within modern daily cooking but remain culinarily true. [15]
Most fast food is finger food. [12] Finger food is quick to eat, [1] [16] and can be eaten on the go. For producers, the simple recipes of finger foods allows them to create new menu options that share ingredients. [12] [1]
Finger foods are often served at formal events and celebrations in the form of passed hors d'oeuvre, where they create a casual, relaxed atmosphere and keep guests' hands and fingers entertained. [1] [17]
James Andrews Beard was an American chef, cookbook author, teacher and television personality. He pioneered television cooking shows, taught at The James Beard Cooking School in New York City and Seaside, Oregon, and lectured widely. He emphasized American cooking, prepared with fresh and wholesome American ingredients, to a country just becoming aware of its own culinary heritage. Beard taught and mentored generations of professional chefs and food enthusiasts. He published more than twenty books, and his memory is honored by his foundation's annual James Beard Awards.
An hors d'oeuvre, appetiser or starter is a small 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 meal, or they may be served before seating, such as at a reception or cocktail party. Formerly, hors d'oeuvres were also served between courses.
A canapé is a type of starter, a small, prepared, and often decorative food, consisting of a small piece of bread or cracker, wrapped or topped with some savoury food, held in the fingers and often eaten in one bite.
Service à la française is the practice of serving various dishes of a meal at the same time, with the diners helping themselves from the serving dishes. That contrasts to service à la russe in which dishes are brought to the table sequentially and served individually, portioned by servants.
An entrée, in modern French table service and that of much of the English-speaking world, is a dish served before the main course of a meal. Outside North America and parts of English-speaking Canada, it is generally synonymous with the terms hors d'oeuvre, appetizer, or starter. It may be the first dish served, or it may follow a soup or other small dish or dishes.
A knish or is a traditional Ashkenazi Jewish snack food consisting of a filling covered with dough that is typically baked or sometimes deep fried.
An amuse-bouche or amuse-gueule is a single, bite-sized hors d'œuvre. 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.
A garnish is an item or substance used as a decoration or embellishment accompanying a prepared food dish or drink. In many cases, it may give added or contrasting flavor. Some garnishes are selected mainly to augment the visual impact of the plate, while others are selected specifically for the flavor they may impart. This is in contrast to a condiment, a prepared sauce added to another food item primarily for its flavor. A food item which is served with garnish may be described as being garni, the French term for "garnished."
Prawn cocktail, also known as shrimp cocktail, is a seafood dish consisting of shelled, cooked prawns in a Marie Rose sauce or cocktail sauce, served in a glass. It was the most popular hors d'œuvre in Great Britain, as well as in the United States, from the 1960s to the late 1980s. According to the English food writer Nigel Slater, the prawn cocktail "has spent most of see-sawing from the height of fashion to the laughably passé" and is now often served with a degree of irony.
The kitchen brigade is a system of hierarchy found in restaurants and hotels employing extensive staff, commonly referred to as "kitchen staff" in English-speaking countries.
The Good Cook was a series of instructional cookbooks published by Time-Life Books 1978-1980 and sold on a month-to-month basis until the early 1990s and edited by cookbook author Richard Olney. Each volume was dedicated to a specific subject and was heavily illustrated with photos of cooking techniques. Recipes were drawn from a wide array of published sources, all scrupulously acknowledged.
The historical form of service à la russe is a manner of dining with courses brought to the table sequentially, and the food portioned on individual plates by the waiter. It contrasts with the older service à la française, based on several courses brought to the table simultaneously in an impressive display of tureens and serving dishes with diners plating food themselves.
A vol-au-vent is a small hollow case of puff pastry. It was formerly also called a patty case.
Fattoush is a Levantine salad made from toasted or fried pieces of khubz combined with mixed greens and other vegetables, such as radishes and tomatoes. Fattoush is popular among communities in the Levant.
Angels on horseback is a hot hors d'œuvre or savoury made of oysters wrapped with bacon. The dish, when served atop breads, can also be a canapé.
Zakuski is an assortment of cold hors d'oeuvres, entrées and snacks in food culture in Slavic-speaking countries. It is served as a course on its own or "intended to follow each shot of vodka or another alcoholic drink". The word literally means 'something to bite after'. It probably originated and was influenced through the fusion of Slavic, Viking-Nordic and Oriental cultures in early Rus' regions like the Novgorod Republic.
A crab puff is a ball of crab meat, mixed with flour, egg, and seasonings, that has been deep-fried in batter. They are often served in restaurants as an appetizer or side dish. They may be served alone, or with any of a variety of sauces, such as tartar sauce, cocktail sauce, or sweet and sour sauce.
Stuffed mushrooms is a dish prepared using edible mushrooms as its primary ingredient. Many fillings can be used, and the dish is typically baked or broiled. It can be served hot or at room temperature, and is sometimes served cold. The dish can have a meaty texture, and serves as an hors d'oeuvre, side dish, or snack.
Anchovy paste is a fish paste food product prepared using anchovies as a primary ingredient. It is used as a condiment and as an ingredient in various dishes, such as Scotch woodcock, and is a mass-produced product. It has been used for centuries to provide flavor to foods and as a source of nutrients, and it is a part of the cuisines of Great Britain, Italy, the Philippines and Vietnam. It is a major export product of Morocco.
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