(Photo:Smoked Salmon wrapped around Chardonnay-marinated onions and English cucumber tied with chive with crème fraîche, chive oil and caviar. Googled from Wendy Brodie.com)
Okay, after getting a few emails, I'll expand on my amusé bouche reference in the Chirac post below.
Amusé Bouche literally translates to "Amusement of the Mouth". Presented to a guest usually as a gift from the chef, it is traditionally rarely more than a bite or two. They have become larger and more elaborate in some establishments over the years, which to me gets away from its true function, to awaken the palate before the first ordered dish comes from the kitchen, a sort of pre-appetizer appetizer.
I haven't seen this book, but the reviews seem very favorable and Rick Tramonto is a respected chef. This book is not for the faint of heart, though, not a peanut-butter stuffed celery stick or Vienna sausage anywhere to be found:
