Many cultures enjoy full course meals with a unique assortment of food and customs. Full course meals have a rich, diverse history from many regions that is a result of evolving food trends over time. To the Western world, the full course meal might bring to mind lavish dinner parties or long meals at a fancy restaurant. But how many courses should be in a full course meal, and what should each course consist of? Below, we provide basic information about full course meals in the tradition of Western cultures and go through typical meal course sequences.
Click below to learn more about full course meals:
- What Is a Full Course Meal?
- What Is a Meal Course?
- Sample Sequences for Up to 12 Meal Courses
- 12 Course Meal Menu
- How to Create a Full Course Meal Menu
- Serving a Full Course Meal Tips
What Is a Full Course Meal?
A full course dinner is a meal featuring multiple courses. The basic full course meal consists of three or four courses. They normally begin with precursors to a main dish, such as an amuse-bouche, followed by the main course(s), and they are finished off with sweets, coffee, and tea.
Full course meals frequently take place at someone’s home, at a venue, or at a restaurant. They are customarily enjoyed in the afternoon or evening for a special occasion. In both upscale restaurants and casual eateries, guests can opt for a full course meal by ordering multiple dishes to come out at separate times. While a traditional full course meal may be more complex than quick service, it is still commonly enjoyed by groups of friends at celebratory events. The more ambitious tasting menu includes up to twenty courses and is spread over an extended period.
What Is a Meal Course?
A meal course is a single food item or a set of food items served at once, such as a sandwich, soup, and crackers, or steak and mashed potatoes. An average meal consists of one or more meal courses.
How Many Courses Are in a Meal?
Many meals only contain one course. The most basic full course meal is made up of 2 or 3 of the following courses: an appetizer, a main dish, and a dessert. However, meals can feature up to 12 or more courses.
Sample Sequences for Up to 12 Meal Courses
A common and logical way for your full course meal to proceed is by starting with light plates, continuing with richer dishes, and finishing off with small and delicate items. Below are sample full course meal sequences, but you can choose which meal courses you would like to include on your menu.
- 12 course meal: A 12 course dinner menu includes an hors d'oeuvre, amuse-bouche, soup, appetizer, salad, fish, first main course, palate cleanser, second main course, cheese course, dessert, and mignardise.
- 10 course meal: A 10 course dinner menu includes an hors d'oeuvre, soup, appetizer, salad, fish, main course, palate cleanser, second main course, dessert, and mignardise.
- 9 course meal: A 9 course dinner menu includes an hors d'oeuvre, soup, appetizer, salad, fish, main course, palate cleanser, dessert, and mignardise.
- 8 course meal: An 8 course dinner menu includes an hors d'oeuvre, soup, appetizer, salad, main course, palate cleanser, dessert, and mignardise.
- 7 course meal: A 7 course dinner menu includes an hors d'oeuvre, soup, appetizer, salad, main course, dessert, and mignardise.
- 6 course meal: A 6 course dinner menu includes an hors d'oeuvre, soup, appetizer, salad, main course, and dessert.
- 5 course meal: A 5 course dinner menu includes an hors d'oeuvre, appetizer, salad, main course, and dessert.
- 4 course meal: A 4 course dinner menu includes an hors d'oeuvre, appetizer, main course, and dessert.
- 3 course meal: A 3 course dinner menu includes an appetizer, main course, and dessert.
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12 Course Meal Menu
Below are explanations of the courses that may comprise a 12 course meal as well as dish suggestions for each course.
- Course One - Hors D'Oeuvres: Since this course is typically served during a co*cktail hour or as guests are arriving, hors d’oeuvres are usually finger foods that can be held in the hand.
- Goat cheese crostini with fig-olive tapenade
- Zucchini fritters
- Shallot and pancetta tortilla crisps
- Sweet potato chips with goat cheese and caviar
- Caprese bites with basil vinaigrette
- Pea soup served in a shot glass or espresso cup
- Cold melon and basil soup
- Pumpkin sage bisque
- Tuscan white bean and roasted garlic soup
- Charred broccoli with shish*to peppers and pickled onions
- Mushrooms stuffed with Pecorino Romano, garlic, and bread crumbs
- Candied carrots with honey, cumin, and paprika
- Garden salad with lettuce, tomatoes, onions, and tart vinaigrette
- Chopped Thai salad with peanut dressing
- Greek salad with olives, lettuce, red onions, and feta cheese
- Grilled salmonwith a soy sauce marinade
- Lemon garlic tilapia
- Crispy trout with a parsley-caper vinaigrette
- Spicy Thai basil chicken
- Roasted duck with an orange-ginger glaze
- Deep-fried turkey with a honey bourbon glaze
- Sorbet (lemon, melon, or mint)
- Prosecco
- Water with lemon
- Stuffed lamb breast with lemon, ricotta, and oregano
- Grilled flatiron steak with rosemary potatoes
- Herb-crusted venison medallions
- Include a variety of cheese textures and flavors, such as aged, soft, firm, and blue cheeses
- Choose a selection of breads and crackers
- Provide companion items, such as jams, chutneys, spicy mustards, caramelized onions, candied nuts, and pistachios
- Rich flourless chocolate cake with a glass of sweet port wine
- Lemon creme brulee with dry white wine
- Fruit tarts and berries with champagne
- Miniature butter madeleine biscuits
- Small pieces of chocolate
- Bite-sized macarons
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How to Create a Full Course Meal Menu
Preparing for a full course meal can seem like a daunting task, especially if it's for a large crowd. However, if you follow a central theme or cuisine when deciding what will be on your menu, it is much easier to come up with your dishes. Below are some tips for creating your menu.
- Choose a theme: Before you begin creating a full course meal menu, decide on a theme, cuisine, or set of flavors to base your meal around. This makes it easier to come up with a menu and ensures continuity throughout the courses.
- Decide on a season or region: Consider basing your full course meal on the season, or feature cuisines from one or several regions.
- Build around the main course: Whatever theme you choose for your meal, ensure that it can provide a solid main course, and work the rest of the courses and theme elements around it.
Tips for Serving a Full Course Meal
The way you serve or enjoy a full course meal is up to your discretion and can be as casual or formal as you prefer. Below are some tips to curate a full course meal, along with information on traditional etiquette.
- Provide water and wine: As you begin serving your full course meal, provide a goblet of water and a glass of wine for each guest.
- Pay attention to table setting: Each course requires distinct dinnerware and silverware, so set your table based on the number of courses in your meal.
- Remember utensil etiquette: Guests will first use the outermost utensils and work their way in towards the plate as the courses progress.
- Remove plates: Before moving on to the next course, remember to remove the plates from the previous course.
- Be prompt: Don’t wait too long between serving each course.
- Know when to clear plates: According to traditional etiquette, each plate should be cleared (from the right side of each guest) before serving another (to the left side of each guest).
- Ask guests to pass their dishes: If you do not have servers at your dinner party, have guests pass the dishes from the left, so they can easily serve themselves since most people are right-handed.
- Choose a charger plate: Many table settings will have a charger plate that serves as a base setting on top of which dinnerware for each course is placed. The plate is only cleared when dessert is served.
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Ultimately, you can serve a meal as creatively or traditionally as you'd like. You can include as little as one course and up to as many as you have time and energy for. Full course meals provide ample opportunity for hosts, chefs, and restaurants alike to show off their talents and tastes while offering an enjoyable and decadent dining experience that guests will remember.
Posted in:Catering Tips |Holidays | |By Hannah Herrera
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