For the French, meals are a very important part of each day, and each meal follows a specific pattern. The first course (which we might call Appetizer in the US, or Starter in the UK) is always included in a meal, even if it's just a quick lunch at home or work, and regardless of whether you're eating alone or with others.

Prior to sitting down at the table, there may be some little nibbles (hors d'oeuvres) like a few nuts or olives, served with an aperitif. An aperitif is an alcoholic drink served before the meal, intended to increase your appetite. For this reason, aperitifs are often herbal or bitter flavored.

A French appetizer course is the first course served once everyone is seated at the table. In French, an appetizer/starter is called an entree, since it is literally the entrance to the meal. This can be confusing for Americans (and the French, when they visit the US), because in the US an entree is the main course.

If you want to include a french appetizer as a start to your french meal, here are some of the common appetizers in France:

1. Oeuf Cocotte - This is a coddled egg - basically, an egg baked in a ramekin with some cream and other ingredients like ham, veg, herbs etc. You eat it by dipping the bread into the egg/cream mix. Delicious!
2. Salade Jambon Melon - An Italian influence, but frequently seen in the summer in France. Slices of melon served with very thinly sliced ham.
3. Soupe a l'onion - The French classic. French onion soup, served in a crock, covered with a piece of bread and grilled gruyere cheese.
4. Vegetables vinaigrette - This is one of many types of vegetables, grated or cubed, and tossed in a vinaigrette dressing. The French love grated carrots and beets like this - really tasty!
5. Harengs et pommes de terrie tiedes - Herring with boiled potatoes. Tastes nicer than it sounds! Pieces of smoked herring in oil served on a plate with a few boiled potatoes.
6. Lentilles en salade - Dark green lentils (Puy Lentils) served as a salad with a vinaigrette. Really nice! You also see a lot of lentils served as a main course with sausage.
7. Pate or Rillettes - These are two forms of meat that are served by spreading on bread, and usually served with a crock of little pickles (cornichons!) and mustard. Pate is served in slices, where rilettes preserves the fibrous nature of the meat, and is served in a pot for spreading.
8. Salade Nicoise - Just one of the many salad variations served in france as an appetizer. The Nicoise salad gets its name from the town of Nice. It is a green salad which always includes at least tuna, a sliced boiled egg, green beans, potatoes and tomatoes. One of my summer favorites!

Did you notice that cheese was missing from the above list of French appetizers? That's because, while cheese is an important part of the French meal, it's never eaten as an appetizer! In the US, we'll often serve cheese and bread before the meal, but for the french, that is too heavy for a starter. Plus, cheese has its own course right before the dessert. If you are ever in France, I recommend being brave during the cheese course - you'll find cheeses there that don't exist anywhere else!

Bon Appetit!