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Gourmet Foods for Special Occasions

For most Americans gourmet foods are a once in a while thing reserved only for special occasions. When I was a kid, gourmet foods were reserved for Thanksgiving Day, Christmas, and special events when guests coming in from out of town. The rest of the time we ate basic American fare like fried chicken, hot dogs, and pork butt. As much as we all love the flavor and quality of gourmet foods my parents were smart enough to know that they were not appropriate for every situation.

Appreciation Means a Lot

I remember my grandparent's 50th wedding anniversary party back in the 1970s. At first the plan was to have the party catered with the finest gourmet foods, excellent wine, and a designer cake created to look exactly like the original they had in the 1920s. Fortunately, my parents realized during the planning stages that there would be more children at this event then there would be adults. They also knew that we would not appreciate such a fine menu and would probably end up wasting a great deal of it. They scratched their original plans and opted for a pot-luck instead.

Although the party is a distant memory for me I have never forgotten the lessons I learned. Gourmet food is expensive and really doesn't belong at an event where a good portion of it will end up in the trash. It should be reserved for those special occasions when the guests will appreciate it as much as the hosts do. It should be reserved for those times when food is an experience in and of itself, rather than simply something to fill the stomach.

Holidays Make the Perfect Time

The annual American holiday season is the perfect time for a good selection of gourmet foods. These are the times when families gather together to enjoy one another's company over a good meal. For example, gourmet chocolate is the perfect ending of the perfect Thanksgiving gathering. Gourmet meats and cheeses make for an exquisite Christmas meal, while fine wines are perfect way to toast the New Year. This is the time of year when meals become a social gathering that can last for hours on end. This is the perfect time for gourmet.

The holidays also make the perfect time for foods you've never tried before. For example, foie gras is a typical European holiday food that most Americans have never heard of, let alone tried. You can buy fresh foie gras at quite a few gourmet delis and high-end supermarkets. If you're feeling adventurous, you can search for a recipe online, go buy all of the gourmet ingredients, and create it yourself. Either way, Christmas is a great time to try this recipe among family and friends. If you like it, you might even establish a new family tradition.

Gourmet foods are special foods because of their superior quality and flavor. So next time you have a special occasion that's appropriate, go ahead. It's good stuff.