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Gourmet Food The word 'gourmet' is used to describe a person with a discriminating palate who is knowledgeable in fine food and wine. The word etymologically stems from the French word 'grommes' (pl.) meaning "wine-tasters, wine merchant's servants," or a valet in charge of the wines. Incidentally, the French 'gourmant' translates roughly as "glutton", although the English 'gourmand' is not a pejorative term. 'Gourmet' is often used as an adjective for meals of exceptionally high quality, whose makers or preparers have put special effort or art into cooking or presenting the meal, or for facilities equipped for preparing such meals, including restaurants, cafes and luxury food producers. There has been a recent surge in sales of gourmet food as people become more aware of the importance of eating well-made and delicious food. Many online gourmet food suppliers are reporting record profits as orders come in from around the world for ever more luxurious dishes. Three Bird Roast A three bird roast was once the preserve of royalty. While sounding like something a football player may attempt after a particularly heavy Saturday night, a three bird roast actually consists of a delicious boned goose stuffed with a chicken, stuffed with a pheasant. Between each layer is pork and orange stuffing to add extra succulence to the experience. A three bird roast is seen as the caviar of poultry dishes (and Beluga at that... not Osetra caviar!) - it should be reserved for extra special occasions only. This is because eating three bird roasts on a regular basis would be seriously unhealthy for even the greediest gourmand. It would also be very expensive. Foie Gras This dish is right up there with veal in the list of delicacies that animal rights protesters would rather see removed from gourmand's diets. Foie gras is produced by force-feeding a duck or goose until its liver is bloated out of all proportion, hence the name 'foie gras' - French for 'fat liver'. The bloated organ is then served as a delicacy. Many foodies argue that fresh foie gras has one of the most delicious flavours and textures of any food. It is often served as a paté and can be purchased from any real gourmet food store. Hampers Hampers offer the opportunity to sample a number of delicacies at one time. They are traditional gifts at Christmas and can include everything from Alderton ham to smoked salmon. They are often given as gifts by companies to employees at the end of a successful year. The vast majority of hampers are sold in the final month of each year and the market virtually disappears during the other 11 months of the year, as illustrated by this graph on Google Trends. Christmas hampers contain a little bit of something for everyone. Up until the mid-twentieth century, hampers were wicker baskets that could be carried by the 'giver' and physically handed to the recipient. Nowadays, it is more likely to be ordered over the internet and delivered by a courier.
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