Salads and Cold Hors-D'Ouevres

 

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.