Parmesan Pannacotta – Amuse Bouche – Lake House Restaurant, Daylesford. Amuse-bouches are different from appetizers in that they are not ordered from amuse gueule menu by patrons but are served free and according to the chef’s selection alone. The term is French and literally means “mouth amuser”.
The plural form may be amuse-bouche or amuse-bouches. 1980s on restaurant menus and used almost only there. The amuse-bouche emerged as an identifiable course during the nouvelle cuisine movement, which emphasized smaller, more intensely flavoured courses. The function of the amuse-bouche could be played by rather simple offerings, such as a plate of olives or a crock of tapenade. It often becomes a showcase, however, of the artistry and showmanship of the chef, intensified by the competition among restaurants. A Japanese-influenced amuse-bouche: hamachi, salmon roe, basil, basil flower. Amuse-bouche served at a French restaurant.
Celery soup with sauteed corn and jicama. Bon Appétit: A Dictionary of French Restaurant Terms. Le petit dictionnaire des pluriels: 5000 mots. The predinner treat known as an amuse-bouche, or amuse-gueule, used to be a throwaway, a complimentary palate pleaser, to translate the term, which was put before the diner to make a good impression.