If you have been to dinner at the Fearrington House Restaurant, you may have noticed that a small course was presented to you before the arrival of your first appetizer. What is this?
Amuse-bouche is a small-sized snack that is served at the beginning of the meal. This culinary concept, as many others, started in France. Literally, the translation is “mouth amuser.” Another word for it in French is “amuse-gueule.” Its purpose is to please the palate and to prepare the guest for the meal. These days, fine dining restaurants around the world use it.
The amuse-bouche is not listed in the menu as a choice to be ordered. Rather, it is offered from the chef without charge and it is the same for all guests. The idea behind it is not only to “amuse the mouth,” but is also a display of hospitality. At the Fearrington House Restaurant, we used to do a different amuse bouche every day, but, as we moved forward, we found that creating one for every week gave it more consistency and better results . So at the beginning of the week, chef Bedford talks to his kitchen crew about what is going to be served as amuse-bouche that week. He goes through the list of allergies and repeat diners with the Maitre-d’ and designs a new one for them.
It is always a challenge to create a bite-size something that is tasty, new and eye-catching. Nowadays, any exotic vegetable or piece of meat can be in our fridge within twenty-four hours so, what to do with such abundance!? Flavor, textures, and colors are elements to consider. The amuse-bouche brings the opportunity to create big flavors in a small bite.
Often time, chefs are limited when thinking about new ideas for a menu because the emphasis is placed on carefully balanced flavors that need to be in harmony with the rest of the menu. The amuse-bouche allows the chef to try new ideas, flavors and combinations, providing a space for creative thinking outside of the menu. It brings a sense of playfulness and imagination to the beginning of the meal for both the chef and the guest. The amuse-bouche is a good way to “test” new ideas in a smaller and simpler version, and often if the idea works, it may develop into a full course dish on the menu.
This concept is also a great idea to try it at home during your next dinner party. You can do something very simple such as serving some of your favorite homemade soup in espresso cups, decorating it with olive oil and herbs, or try a smaller version of your favorite dish.
Junior Sous Chef Tomas Baistrocchi