Appetizers

• Italy

  Appetizers in Italy are called “Antipasto” or “Antipasti” means “before the meal”, these include a selection of marinated mushrooms, artichokes, sliced salamis, smoked sardines, stuffed olives and roasted red peppers.

  Spain

  Appetizers in Spain are called “Tapas”. The actual meaning of “Tapa” is to cover or lid. In Spain this has now become a style of food and is popular the World over. Tapas are a wide variety of hot & cold preparations of olives, cheese, tomatoes, sweet and chili peppers, maize (corn), potatoes etc.

  England

  Tea sandwiches as they are popularly known are traditional to British cuisine. Other common appetizers are based on ham, cheese, eggs and other ingredients. Some common appetizers are, Angles on Horseback, Devils on Horseback etc.

  Sweden

  A popular appetizer presentation method in Sweden is called, “Smorgasbord”, meaning bread & butter table. Smorgasbord is popularly made of shrimps, pickles, meatballs, asparagus, mushrooms, smoked salmon, fresh water cod and caviar.

  Japan

  The Japanese term for Appetizer is “Zensai”, which may include, simple soups, sushi, sashimi and other items that might be steamed, deep fried, vinegared or dressed.

  Greece & Middle East

  In Greece & the Middle East, appetizers are called “Meze”, which may be served hot or cold and popularly includes tiny meat balls, chickpeas paste called “Hummus”, roasted eggplant dip called “Moutabal” etc.

Canapés – These are toasted or fried, rectangular or circular shaped slices of crust less bread croutes or crackers topped with a wide variety of seasoned creams, cheeses, vegetables, meat, fish and poultry. Canapés are also referred to as bite sized, open face sandwiches.

Dips – A dip or dipping sauce is a common condiment for many types of food. Unlike other sauces, instead of applying the sauce to the food, the food is typically dipped, or used to pick up the sauce (hence the name). Dips are used to add flavor or texture to a food, such as pita bread, dumplings, crackers, cut-up raw vegetables, fruits, seafood, cubed pieces of meat and cheese, potato chips, tortilla chips, and falafel.

Fritters–these are a mixture of ingredients dipped in a batter and deep fried. These are generally fried just before service and the presentation of Fritters are classically done on a serviette or absorbent paper towel.

Skewered food – Brochette is a French term for skewered food, while similar terms for the same from other countries are Shish Kebab, Satay, or Souvlaki. These are normally marinated seafood or meat on skewers along with colorful vegetables. Served grilled or broiled with butter and sauce.

Baked appetizers – include bouchees, mini quiches, tarte tatin etc.

Fried appetizers – include samosas, spring rolls, calamari rings, meat balls, etc.

Steamed appetizers – Dim sum, dumplings, and steamed buns are common examples.

In this episode, you will be learning popular appetizers that came about through a variety of regional taste and textural compositions widely created by chefs in restaurants around the world.