WHAT IS AN AMUSE BOUCHE?
An amuse bouche, also called an amuse gueule. The direct translation is something to amuse your mouth. It is a tiny bite-sized morsel traditionally served before the first course of a meal. It does not have to be related to the upcoming meal, but it can be.
An amuse bouche is different than an appetizer, in that they are not ordered from a menu, but are at the discretion of the chef. The treats sometimes differ for each person at the table. Guest should be able to eat them in ONE bite. If two bites, it is on the verge of too big. Three bites is an epic fail.
These are sometimes accompanied by a complementing wine, and are served as an excitement of taste buds to both prepare the guest for the meal and to offer a glimpse into the chef’s approach to cooking.
Whatever strikes your fancy. Here are a few examples:
INGREDIENTS
- Chocolate strawberry
- Toothpick with blueberry and raspberry
- Chocolate waver with fancy white chocolate design
- One scallop with passion fruit jelly
- Smoked salmon on cracker
- Lokum
- Bitter chocolate truffle
The below amuse bouche is one of my favorites. Ideally this would be for a table of ten people. It would spark discussion, and allow the chef to show off some of their culinary skills to their diners. This does, however, offer the possibility of disappointment in being the last to choose, but that is part of the fun.
Read more on WikiPedia.
