Changes

==Origin==

==Origin==

French, from Middle French, alteration of ''gromet'' boy servant, vintner's assistant, probably ultimately from [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ Middle English] ''grom'' groom

French, from Middle French, alteration of ''gromet'' boy servant, vintner's assistant, probably ultimately from [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ Middle English] ''grom'' groom

*[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/19th_century 1820]

*[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/19th_century 1820]

The word ''gourmet'' is from the French term for a wine broker or ''[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Taste-vin taste-vin]'' employed by a wine dealer. ''Friand'' was formerly the reputable name for a connaisseur of delicious things that were not eaten primarily for nourishment: "A good gourmet", wrote the conservative eighteenth-century ''[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dictionnaire_de_Tr%C3%A9voux Dictionnaire de Trévoux]'', employing this original sense, "must have ''le goût friand'', or a refined palate. The [[pleasure]] is also [[visual]]: ''"J'aime un ragoût, et je suis friand"'', [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Giacomo_Casanova Giacomo Casanova] declared, "mais s'il n'a pas bonne mine, il me semble mauvais". In the eighteenth century, gourmet and gourmand carried disreputable connotations of [[gluttony]], which only ''gourmand'' has retained. Gourmet was rendered respectable by [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alexandre_Balthazar_Laurent_Grimod_de_La_Reyni%C3%A8re Monsieur Grimod de la Reynière], whose ''Almanach des Gourmands'', essentially the first restaurant guide, appeared in Paris from 1803 to 1812. Previously, even the liberal [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Encyclop%C3%A9die Encyclopédie] offered a moralising tone in its entry ''Gourmandise'', defined as "refined and uncontrolled [[love]] of [[good]] [[food]]", employing reproving [[illustrations]] that contrasted the frugal ancient [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sparta Spartans] and Romans of the Republic with the [[decadent]] [[luxury]] of [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sybaris Sybaris]. The [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jesuits Jesuits]' ''Dictionnaire de Trévoux'' took the Encyclopédistes to task, reminding its [[readers]] that ''gourmandise'' was one of the [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Seven_Deadly_Sins Seven Deadly Sins].

The word ''gourmet'' is from the French term for a wine broker or ''[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Taste-vin taste-vin]'' employed by a wine dealer. ''Friand'' was formerly the reputable name for a connaisseur of delicious things that were not eaten primarily for nourishment: "A good gourmet", wrote the conservative eighteenth-century ''[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dictionnaire_de_Tr%C3%A9voux Dictionnaire de Trévoux]'', employing this original sense, "must have ''le goût friand'', or a refined palate. The [[pleasure]] is also [[visual]]: ''"J'aime un ragoût, et je suis friand"'', [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Giacomo_Casanova Giacomo Casanova] declared, "mais s'il n'a pas bonne mine, il me semble mauvais". In the eighteenth century, gourmet and gourmand carried disreputable connotations of [[gluttony]], which only ''gourmand'' has retained. Gourmet was rendered respectable by [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alexandre_Balthazar_Laurent_Grimod_de_La_Reyni%C3%A8re Monsieur Grimod de la Reynière], whose ''Almanach des Gourmands'', essentially the first restaurant guide, appeared in Paris from 1803 to 1812. Previously, even the liberal [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Encyclop%C3%A9die Encyclopédie] offered a moralising tone in its entry ''Gourmandise'', defined as "refined and uncontrolled [[love]] of [[good]] [[food]]", employing reproving [[illustrations]] that contrasted the frugal ancient [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sparta Spartans] and Romans of the Republic with the [[decadent]] [[luxury]] of [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sybaris Sybaris]. The [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jesuits Jesuits]' ''Dictionnaire de Trévoux'' took the Encyclopédistes to task, reminding its [[readers]] that ''gourmandise'' was one of the [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Seven_Deadly_Sins Seven Deadly Sins].

==Definitions==

==Definitions==

*1: a [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Connoisseur connoisseur] of [[food]] and drink; broadly

*1: a [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Connoisseur connoisseur] of [[food]] and drink; broadly

==Description==

==Description==

'''Gourmet'''  is a cultural [[ideal]] associated with the [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Culinary_art culinary arts] of fine food and drink, or ''[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Haute_cuisine haute cuisine]'', which is characterised by refined, even elaborate preparations and presentations of [[aesthetically]] [[balanced]] meals of several contrasting, often quite rich courses. The term and its associated [[practices]] are usually used positively to describe people of refined taste and [[passion]].

'''Gourmet'''  is a cultural [[ideal]] associated with the [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Culinary_art culinary arts] of fine food and drink, or ''[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Haute_cuisine haute cuisine]'', which is characterised by refined, even elaborate preparations and presentations of [[aesthetically]] [[balanced]] meals of several contrasting, often quite rich courses. The term and its associated [[practices]] are usually used positively to describe people of refined taste and [[passion]].

The term ''gourmet'' may refer to a person with refined or [[discriminating]] taste who is knowledgeable in the craft and [[art]] of food and food preparation. Gourmand carries additional connotations of one who simply enjoys food in great quantities. An ''[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Epicure epicure]'' is similar to a gourmet, but the word may sometimes carry overtones of excessive refinement.[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gourmet]

The term ''gourmet'' may refer to a person with refined or [[discriminating]] taste who is knowledgeable in the craft and [[art]] of food and food preparation. Gourmand carries additional connotations of one who simply enjoys food in great quantities. An ''[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Epicure epicure]'' is similar to a gourmet, but the word may sometimes carry overtones of excessive refinement.[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gourmet]

[[Category: General Reference]]

[[Category: General Reference]]