Canapés, Hors D'oeuvres, and Buffet Dishes

“FOOD and drink are the traditional courtesies extended to the guest on entrance by the thoughtful host and hostess. Whether in the home, at the restaurant table, or in a private dining room, the cock-tail-to paraphrase the song-can't do without the food and certainly should not! It is no news to the professional that in this day of "on the rocks" drinking, the hors d'oeuvre should be introduced simultaneously with the cocktail.

A book on hors d'oeuvres needs no excuse, explanation, or reason for being. It affords the chef an opportunity to express himself. This expression is in the manner in which he combines his ingredients, and embellishes the dainties into tasty temptations.

The idea in this book may be considered for development as well as finished recipes. The practical chef will build-and building does not necessarily mean further elaboration. Simplification of recipe should follow both for the kitchen's sake as well as for public reac-tion, visually and in taste. While it is true that eye appeal is essential in any dish, this appeal should be supported by the ingredients and reaction on the taste buds when placed in the mouth.

One caution must be stressed by continual repetition, as both the kitchen and the dining room staffs tend to forget an important aspect of service: maintain warm and hot foods properly (not burned by heat under a chafing dish), and keep items destined for presentation at room temperature so they are not cold, soggy, nor tasting of the refrigerator. All this takes co-ordination between kitchen and dining room, and an evaluation of facilities within the establishment.

Trays unduly heaped with goodies, or those seriously depleted, turn appetites, no matter how elegant the individual dainty when it left the artist's hands. The executives of the culinary and the dining room departments are beseeched to co-ordinate and thus to maintain standards of high quality which mark the fine restaurant.

This book, written by three members of the staff of the Hotel Technology Department of the New York City Community College, reads for itself. It is precise, concise, and can be used as a manual or path upon which the chef can travel to places of his own choosing. It must be remembered that the authors of this book are dedicated to the culinary art and equally dedicated to the instruction of students and/or apprentices. The experienced practitioner can read this as a refresher or as a stimulant to the imagination.

The purpose of this book is to remind one and all of the great need to develop the interest of young men and women in the art of our industry. The word drudgery should be dropped from the lexicon as it applies to the kitchen; instead, those words should be substituted which create a picture of service to family and friends around a festive table, enjoying one of the pleasurable experiences in life-dining.

The young who pursue careers in the hotel or restaurant industry-those who are developing now and also the fully grown who have achieved careers of distinction-must remember that after us will follow other generations, all entitled to even better facilities for instruction than those we now possess. Our plea is that those who read these words not forget that many dedicated people performed yeoman service for our benefit. Those who read this must remember and help the ones who follow with money for facilities and time in which to give instruction with patience for the beginner.“