Archived Article By Tom Fitzmorris Originally published April 4, 2006 Click here for the current edition Matters Of Taste The Pre-Appetizer Canapes. Hors d'oeuvres. Tapas. Dim sum. Finger food. Lots of names for the nibbles of something delicious served before a meal really begins. They've been around a long time and in a lot of places. But in the past few years the amuse-bouche ("entertain the mouth," one of many French names for these small bites) became an expected course in festive meals. Especially in deluxe restaurants, where they can be distinguished from traditional appetizers by the fact that the restaurant won't charge you for them. This new first course gives the opportunity to use very expensive ingredients, because almost by definition an amuse-bouche must be just a bite or two. So you don't have to use very much of the precious foodstuff. And no law requires that pre-appetizers be expensive. As you will see in the recipes that follow, the only requirement be that a bite fills the mouth with a good, savory flavor. My own preference is that pre-appetizers be a little salty and a little rich. Smoked, cured and acidic flavors are also good. I'm a little more careful about sweetness or pepper in an amuse-bouche. Those tastes are delicious, but they need to be kept subtle, because they have a way of dulling your palate at a time when they should be sharpening it. Plenty of room for really sweet or seriously spicy food later in the meal. One food, I think, does not belong here at all. Cheese is for the end of the meal. I don't even like to include it as an ingredient in an amuse-bouche, let alone as a cube on the end of a toothpick. I love cheese, but it's an appetite killer.   We have a lot of great foods in New Orleans that work extraordinarily well as pre-appetizers. Notable among them are shrimp, oysters (especially when baked on the half-shell), crabmeat, and all our Cajun and Creole sausages. Add to that international classics like smoked salmon, caviar, olives, pates, and charcuterie meats, plus refreshing fruits and crisp vegetables, and the variety of flavors stretch endlessly in all directions. The best pre-appetizer course includes several small dishes, each offering a flavor and color contrast with the others. For example, a great trio would be smoked boudin slices, asparagus with aioli, and shrimp with Creole remoulade. All this could be served with cocktails or Champagne or a light white wine. We like to offer our pre-appetizers at the counter in the kitchen, because everybody's going to be in there anyway. Then it's an easy matter to start pulling the oysters Bienville out of the oven and shout, "Okay, everybody, here comes the first course! Get to the table!" They get a whiff and they start moving to wherever you want them. © 2006 Tom Fitzmorris. All rights reserved. news@nomenu.com