Salads and cold hors-d'ouevres have the same purpose in a meal. They are served at the start of a meal to stimulate appetite and excite the palate for more food that is going to be served.
Although hors-d'ouevres are served as an introduction to a meal, salads can be served at anytime during the meal. In some regions of France, a simple green salad is served after the main course to prepare the palate for the dessert and cheese that follow. In the US, that simple green salad can be served to accompany a sumptous grilled steak.
A large mixed salad prepared from a delightful mixed veggies makes for an excellent main course for a light lunch. A cold buffet of various molded dishes or mousses, smoked or marinated fish sliced roast meat accompanied by a coleslaw becomes a complete meal for an informal gathering of friends and family.
The word salad is taken after the Latin words herba salata which literally means salted herbs. Vegetables are still predominantly the main ingredients of salads but any kind of poultry or fish , cold meat which is dressed with some mind of a sauce can be considered a salad.
Unlike salads, the term hors-d'ouevre has been used fairly recently. It was first used by the French in the 18th century to describe any dishes that include salads that were not eaten in the dining table. Nowadays, though, hors-d'ouevres are very much welcome and served in the dining table.
Valentine's Day is here. The ladies would love to receive chocolates or roses from their boyfriends or husbands.
But what really is about chocolates that women cannot seem to stop craving for them?
An article published in the Journal of the American Dietetic Association revealed that in a survey conducted, 40 percent of the women admitted to crave for chocolates and only 15 percent of the men craved for them, too.
Pharmacologists have an explanation for this phenomenon. Chocolates contain the substance anandamide, a neurotransmitter with very similar chemical content to marijuana which is when taken in significant amounts can give you a feeling of euphoria and temporary happiness.
If you are looking for chocolates to give your girlfriend, wife, mom, or any special friend, you can purchase them at the Gourmet Food Store. They have a wide selection of irresistible and mouth-watering Belgian chocolates from which you can choose the one that will certainly delight your lady love this Valentine's Day!
Vinaigrette is a mixture of vinegar, oil and seasonings and can be prepared in just a few seconds. You can vary the proportion of the mixture depending on the main ingredient. For example to enhance the bitter taste of chicory or to offset the sweet taste of beetroot you can add more vinegar.
Lemon cream sauce is a mixture of double cream, lemon juice, salt and pepper. The cream blends well with the lemon's acid content producing a thick consistency. To make the mixture fresh-smelling, you can add crashed mint leaves to the mixture then remove before the cream is added.
Mayonnaise is a smooth mixture of egg yolks and olive oil and the successful outcome of the finished product depends on the manner of whisking. You have to make sure that the yolks and oil are both at room temperature because if these two ingredients are both cold or at different temperatures they will not blend smoothly.
For a wide selection of delicious gourmet food for your home or party needs, visit
