Canapé
A canapé or canape is a small, prepared, and usually decorative hors d'oeuvres which is held in the fingers, and often eaten in one bite. Crackers or small slices of bread or toast are cut into various shapes and serve as a base for such savory foods as meat, cheese, fish, caviar, foie gras, purees or relish.
Traditionally, canapes are made from stale white bread, cut in thin slices and then shaped into the various shapes with a cutter or knives. Shapes might include circles, rings, squares, strips or triangles. These pieces of bread are then prepared by one of the following techniques:
- Deep frying in fat and draining on absorbent paper
- Sautéeing in butter or other fat
- Toasting
The foods are sometimes highly processed and decoratively applied (i.e. piped) to the base with a pastry bag. Decorative garnishes are then applied.
Canapes are usually served on a canape tray, and eaten from small canape plates.
A canape may also be referred to as "finger food", although not all finger foods are canapes.
In Italy, canapés are called tramezzini.
Canape is also a bridge term that refers to a system of bidding where the second suit bid is always at least as long as the first. With a minimum 5,4 it may be necessary to bid the first suit twice before the short suit. It is often found in European systems such as Blue Team Club. The chief advantage is on a moderate 2 suiter where you often get to bid a short major, which has marked pre-emptive value