Hors d'oeuvre (or alternatively appetizer or starter) refer to the food served before or outside of (French: hors) the main dishes of a meal (the œuvre). The purpose of the hors d'oeuvre is to whet the appetite; if there is a long waiting period between when the guests arrive and when the meal is served (for example, during a cocktail hour), these might also serve the purpose of sustaining guests during the long wait.
Hors d'oeuvre may be served at the table, for example as a part of the sit-down meal, or they may be served before sitting at the table.
These might include:
See also
Last updated: 06-01-2005 22:33:13
