Definition & History of the tasting style of eating

Degustation `digu'steyshun [ the art of tasting food ]

Modern degustation probably comes from the French kitchens of the early 20th century and is different from earlier meals with many courses because these meals were served as full-sized meals at each course.

Degustation on the other hand is more akin to sampling all of the chefs signature dishes in small portions at the one sitting. Usually eight or more courses, it may be accompanied by a matching wine degustation.

Restaurateurs and chefs love showing off their talents, and one of the ways in which they can best do this is by offering a 'menu de degustation', literally, a "tasting menu" in which a meal can consist of as many as ten or twelve different courses.

History

Contrary to popular belief, the roots of the degustation menu do not go back to the Middle-Ages, even though it was then considered appropriate to serve 12, 16 or even 20 courses at a single meal.

Unlike true degustation meals, those Medieval dinners were unplanned and unsophisticated and, because they relied on terribly heavy sauces, would be considered basically inedible by any sophisticated diner today.

There is a good chance that the very first versions of what we now know as the degustation menu, were those offered between 1880 and 1910 by the great chef George- Auguste Escoffier. Escoffier, whose restaurants were in the Ritz Hotels of Paris and London, was the chef whose self-appointed task was to satisfy the appetites of the most royal and the most wealthy members of European society.

Escoffier loved nothing better than impressing his guests. He saw no reason why they could not start their meal at six in the evening, work their way through as many as fifteen full courses and finally leave his restaurant at three in the morning.

Prepare your guests if this is your intention........If your culinary skills are on par with Escoffiers then your guests are fortunate to have you as a friend.