Finger food

Finger food being served

Finger food is food eaten with the hands, in contrast to food eaten with a knife and fork, chopsticks, or other utensils.^[1] In some cultures, food is almost always eaten with the hands; for example, Ethiopian cuisine is eaten by rolling various dishes up in injera bread.^[2] In India food is traditionally always eaten without utensils.

Examples of generally accepted finger food are miniature beef pies, sausage rolls, sausages on sticks, cheese and olives on sticks, chicken drumsticks or wings, spring rolls, miniature quiches, samosas, onion bhajis, potato wedges, vol au vents, and risotto balls. Other well-known foods that are generally eaten with the hands include pizza, hot dogs, fruit and bread.^[3]

In many countries there are catering businesses that supply finger-foods for events such as weddings, engagements, birthdays and other milestone celebrations. For weddings, in particular, finger foods are becoming more popular because they are less expensive and offer more flexibility with menu choices. Gourmet hors d’oeuvres such as quiches, pate, caviar, and tea sandwiches are suitable for a formal event, whereas more familiar food such as sliced fruits, deli trays, crackers, and cookies are preferred at more casual celebrations.^[4]

References

1. ^ Kay Halsey (1999). Finger Food. Tuttle Publishing. ISBN 9625934448. 
2. ^ J.H. Arrowsmith-Brown (trans.), Prutky's Travels in Ethiopia and other Countries with notes by Richard Pankhurst (London: Hakluyt Society, 1991)
3. ^ "Finger Food", BBC.co.uk, 11 January 2002
4. ^ Wedding Finger Food Reception, Melissa Mayntz at LoveToKnow.com, 6 November 2007

Further reading

• Finger Food, Elizabeth Wolf-Cohen ISBN 978-1842155073
• The Essential Finger Food Cookbook (Essential Cookbooks (Thunder Bay Press)), Wendy Stephen ISBN 978-1571459619

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