What is an entree meal?

What is an entree meal?

An entrée (/ˈɒ̃treɪ/, US also /ɒnˈtreɪ/; French: [ɑ̃tʁe]) in modern French table service and that of much of the English-speaking world (apart from the United States and parts of Canada) is a dish served before the main course of a meal.

What are entrees in a restaurant?

Restaurants use the term "entree" to mean "the main course of the meal". It is usally a meat course of some kind, although if you want something vegetarian, or fish, or a pasta dish, as your main course, then that dish would be your "entree".

Why is a main meal called an entree?

In the words of one old-fashioned culinary manual, it was supposed to be "easy to eat and pleasing to the appetite but not satisfying." Because it was served immediately preceding the centerpiece of the whole meal - the roast - it was called the "entree," being, in effect, the "entrance" to the really important part of ...

What does entre stand for?

between, enter, enters.

Why do Americans use entrée?

“Restaurants' desire to remain associated with French cuisine,” said Kaufman. “The term elevates the quality of the restaurant in the eyes of the client.” So entrée lived on, but not in its original form. In the US, the entrée became the main course, and appetizers or starters became the first course.

What is the difference between an entrée and a dinner?

Someone asked me why Americans use the word entree to refer to the main course of a dinner, while in French and in British usage, entrée refers to a dish served before the main course. The unspoken criticism was that, when it comes to matters of language, Americans always get things wrong.

What is the difference between entrée and starter?

In British English, a starter is the first course of a meal whereas an entree is a dish served before the main dish. However, in American English, a starter is an appetizer and an entree is a main course or dish.

What is the difference between appetizers and entrees?

An appetizer is a small dish served before the main meal to stimulate the appetite while entree is the main course of a meal.

Where is the word entrée from?

French The word entrée entered the French culinary lexicon by way of music. An entrée is a term used to speak of an opening act in a musical or opera. So, it follows, an entrée was a beginning course for a traditional, French multi-course meal. By 1759, entrée is widely accepted as a culinary term in France.

What does it mean to gain entrée?

Sometimes people talk about having an entree into society, or into some club. When it's used in those contexts, it usually means you have someone who's going to smooth the way, introduce you, and allow you to enter. Definitions of entree. the principal dish of a meal. synonyms: main course.

What does "entree" mean in the US?

• It's a culinary term that signifies a course during meal service, but which course depends on where you're dining. In the United States and parts of Canada, the word entrée is often used to mean the main dish part of a meal, such as a roast chicken with vegetables.

What are some examples of an entree?

• In the United States, for example, the entree is usually the main course or main part of the meal while, in Europe, the entree is an appetizer or starter that is served before the main course. There are many types of entree foods. Many entrees contain some kind of meat, like beef, poultry, or pork.

What is the origin of the word entree?

• entree (n.) 1724, "opening piece of an opera or ballet," from French entrée, from Old French entree (see entry ). Cookery sense is from 1759; originally the dish which was introductory to the main course. Meaning "entry, freedom of access" is from 1762. The word had been borrowed in Middle English as entre "act of entering."

Why is main course called the `entree'?

• The now established practice of referring to the main course as the "entree" was apparently led by hotels and restaurants. Perhaps the original preference for "entree" lay in the fact that it was obviously French, and anything French was considered to have prestige.