The Land of Appetizers

No doubt about it, the reigning king of appetizers is France, where hors d'oeuvres (literally “outside the masterpiece”) are de rigueur before the main meal at nearly any eating occasion outside the home. The original hors d'oeuvres fell into the canapé category, consisting of a slice of buttered toasted baguette topped with something savory. Today, French appetizers run the gamut, from escargots a la bourguignonne (snails in garlic-herb butter) and gougères (cheese puffs) to lighter fare like roasted artichokes and all manner of crudité (raw veggies).