Finger food

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Afternoon tea finger foods
Finger foods being served

Finger foods are small, individual portions of food that are eaten out of hand. They are often served at social events. The ideal finger food usually does not create any mess (i.e. no crumbs, drips, or any kind of mess), but this criterion is often overlooked in order to include foods like tacos.[1] One origin for finger foods is the French canapé.

History of finger foods[]

Finger foods do not share common origin, history, or identity.

One kind of finger food is the French canapé, known since the late 1700s. Canapés began as slices of toasted or fried bread with various toppings. Their name, literally 'sofa', was inspired from how the toppings "sat" on the bread as though it were a sofa. Over time, canapés became a word to describe all finger foods served at parties.

Canapés were often served in speakeasies during American Prohibition.

Finger foods and prohibition[]

Following the enactment of American Prohibition laws in 1920, many people drank in secret, often in speakeasies. To ensure that guests did not appear intoxicated after leaving to avoid detection, speakeasies often served finger foods throughout the night. These finger foods also allowed guests to eat while drinking because of the food's small size.[2]

After Prohibition, canapés were often served at cocktail parties.[2]

Modern finger foods[]

There is a wide variety of finger foods. Contemporary finger foods are often served as fast food as well as at formal events.[3][4][1]

Fast food[]

Chicken nuggets

Most fast food is finger food.[4] Finger food is quick to eat,[1][5] and can be eaten on the go. For producers, the simple recipes of finger foods allows them to create new menu options that share ingredients.[4][1]

Parties and events[]

Finger foods are often served at formal events and celebrations in the form of passed hors d'oeuvre, where they create a casual, relaxed atmosphere and keep guests' hands and fingers entertained.[1][6]

References[]

  1. ^ Jump up to: a b c d e Hoffman, Mable; Hoffman, Gar (1989). Mable Hoffman's finger foods. Los Angeles, California: HPBooks.
  2. ^ Jump up to: a b Avey, Tori (1 February 2013). "Speakeasies, Sofas, and the History of Finger Foods". PBS.
  3. ^ Ong, Beng (March 2017). "Thinking Empirically about the McDonaldization Thesis in Penang". Pertanika Journal of Social Sciences & Humanities. 25: 433–443 – via Humanities International Complete.
  4. ^ Jump up to: a b c Ritzer, George (2013). The McDonaldization of Society. Thousand Oaks, California: SAGE Publications, Inc. ISBN 978-1-4522-2669-9.
  5. ^ Brembeck, Helene (2006). "Home to McDonald's. The Domestication of McDonald's in Sweden". Advances in Consumer Research - European Conference Proceedings. 7: 256–261 – via Business Source Complete.
  6. ^ Longman, Kenneth (May 1972). "Eating and Drinking Things". Marketing Science. 2: 36–37 – via Sociological Collection.

Further reading[]

  • The McDonaldization of Society (SAGE Publications, Inc.), George Ritzer ISBN 978-1-4522-2669-9
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