It's A Small World After All

In my opinion, one of the biggest perks of the holiday season doesn't come wrapped in a big package with a shiny red bow (though those can be nice sometimes, too). No, one of my favorite things about this time of year are the overabundance of opportunities to chow down on some kickass hors d'oeuvres.

Before I go into why I love this prefood, food, let me tell you a bit on where the term "hors d'oeuvres" actually came from. Upon doing a little research, I learned a "little" more about the history of the hors d'oeuvre. Apparently, hors d'oeuvres is French in origin. The "hors" part comes from snack food served outside of and the "d'oeuvres" comes from the French word for meal. In Italian this is commonly referred to as antipasto consisting of anything from cheese, to pepperoni to marinated vegetables. In my mind, you can call it anything you want. I have my own name for this scrumptious foreplay of a meal and that my friends, is downright delicious.

The serving of hors d'oeuvres started as an attempt to wet the appetite of hungry guests of all kinds whether they be at a New Years bash or a baby naming. Sometimes it's an attempt to appease the appetite when the actual hardcore eating will not take place for sometime yet to come. Either way, these mini meals are delectable and devilish all at the same time. After all, if someone were to ask you if you wanted to grab a hot dog before heading off to your sister's wedding you would think they were certifiable. But then you shimmy off to the wedding and four pigs in a blanket later you know the meaning of the term "less" is more.

The other great thing about the mini me's of the food world are that there are so many tastes to sample and not nearly a big enough plate to carry them on. Just think about it. How many times have you been sitting at a restaurant scratching your head over what you should order? With hors d'oeuvres you suddenly have the best of many, many worlds. No longer do you have to commit your palate to just one. And if you don't like the quiche you ordered (and by ordered, I mean picked up and put onto your postage stamp sized napkin) you are only one bite away from your next perfect "meal". In fact, when a good party proves good things come in small packages, the beef, chicken or fish you preordered months earlier ends up seeming pale by comparison.

Now if you go to places like Friday's or Applebee's they will try their damndest to serve you up a sweet appetizer, but don't be led astray. While many restaurant appetizers are mighty tasty, they are no substitution for the good, old-fashioned hors d'oeuvre. In the past few years a new ordering trend has emerged. More and more people are beginning to get hors d'oeuvres as their main course, sometimes even foregoing an entree altogether. These people are not fools. They know there is no need to buy the cow when you're getting the milk for free. Ok, so maybe the saying doesn't go exactly like that, but you get the idea.

Unfortunately I'm afraid the great hors d'oeuvres course is often taken for granted by many. Most people have come to expect something be given to them before the actual food itself arrives. It's just like when you go to a concert. You don't expect The Rolling Stones to just waltz out on stage and start jamming. First you have to sit throw a few opening acts. Sometimes the opening acts are so good that you're left wondering how the headliner in question could possibly top that. When a good tray of hors d'oeuvres has done its job it's just like that great opening act, appeasing the crowd and getting them psyched for the main course.

So when you're munching on your hors d'oeuvres this holiday season I hope you think of the party related public service announcement made here today.

Yes, hors d'oeuvres are proving the age old adage wrong, one bite at a time. Size really does matter, just not in the way you might've thought.