Editing Outline of meals (section)

== Components of a meal ==

* [[Drink]] &ndash; 
* [[Food]] &ndash; 
** [[Cuisine]] &ndash; food prepared in a particular way. A cuisine is a style of cooking characterized by distinctive ingredients, [[List of cooking techniques|techniques]] and dishes, and usually associated with a specific culture or geographic region.<ref>[http://www.thefreedictionary.com/cuisine "Cuisine."] [http://www.thefreedictionary.com Thefreedictionary.com]. Accessed June 2011.</ref><ref>Cuisine [def. 1]. (2014). ''[[Oxford English Dictionary]] Online''. Retrieved 11 March 2015, from http://www.oed.com/view/Entry/45611</ref><ref name="cuisine">[http://www.eldrbarry.net/hatr/eldrcuis.htm "The American Food Revolutions: Cuisines in America."] [http://www.eldrbarry.net Eldrbarry.net]. Accessed June 2011.</ref>
** [[Course (food)|Course]] &ndash; specific set of food items that are served together during a meal, all at the same time. A course may include multiple dishes or only one, and often includes items with some variety of flavors. For instance, a hamburger served with fries would be considered a single course, and most likely the entire meal. ''See also [[full course dinner]].''
*** [[Hors d'oeuvre]] &ndash; literally "apart from the [main] work") or the first course, is a food item served before the main courses of a meal, typically smaller than main dishes, and often meant to be eaten by hand (with minimal use of cutlery).<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.oxforddictionaries.com/definition/english/hors-d%27oeuvre?q=Hors+d%27oeuvre|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140915173652/http://www.oxforddictionaries.com/definition/english/hors-d%27oeuvre?q=Hors+d%27oeuvre|url-status=dead|archive-date=September 15, 2014|title=hors d'oeuvre - definition of hors d'oeuvre in English from the Oxford dictionary|work=oxforddictionaries.com|access-date=18 March 2015}}</ref> Hors d'oeuvres may be served at the dinner table as a part of the meal, or they may be served before seating.
*** [[Entrée]] &ndash; dish served before the main course, or between two principal courses of a meal.<ref name="Oxford Dictionaries">[https://web.archive.org/web/20110722055750/http://oxforddictionaries.com/definition/entr%C3%A9e Oxford Dictionaries]</ref><ref name="American Heritage Dictionary">[http://education.yahoo.com/reference/dictionary/entry/entree American Heritage Dictionary] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111021135411/http://education.yahoo.com/reference/dictionary/entry/entree |date=2011-10-21 }}</ref><ref name="Grand dictionnaire de cuisine">According to [[Alexandre Dumas, père|Alexandre Dumas]]' [http://www.dumaspere.com/pages/biblio/chapitrecuisine.php?lid=c1&cid=369 ''Grand dictionnaire de cuisine''] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081121115252/http://www.dumaspere.com/pages/biblio/chapitrecuisine.php?lid=c1&cid=369 |date=2008-11-21 }} (1871), an entrée is a "Préparation chaude qui accompagne ou suit le potage," a "hot preparation that accompanies or follows the soup."</ref>
*** [[Main course]] &ndash; featured or primary dish in a meal consisting of several courses. It usually follows the entrée ("entry") course. In the United States and parts of Canada, it may be called "entrée."
*** [[Dessert]] &ndash; typically sweet course that concludes an evening meal. The course usually consists of sweet foods, but may include other items. In world cultures there are a wide variety of desserts including cakes, tarts, cookies, biscuits, gelatins, pastries, ice creams, pies, puddings, custards, and sweet soups. Fruit is also commonly found in dessert courses because of its naturally occurring sweetness.
** [[Dish (food)|Dishes]] &ndash; specific food preparation, a "distinct article or variety of food",<ref>[[OED]]</ref> with [[cooking]] finished, and ready to eat, or be served. A "dish" may be served on tableware, or may be eaten out of hand; but breads are generally not called "dishes."
*** Types of dishes
**** [[Entrée]] &ndash; dish served before the main course, or between two principal courses of a meal.<ref name="Oxford Dictionaries"/><ref name="American Heritage Dictionary"/><ref name="Grand dictionnaire de cuisine"/>
**** [[Side dish]] &ndash; food item that accompanies the [[entrée]] or [[main course]] at a [[meal]].<ref>[http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/side%20dish "Side dish."] (definition.) [http://www.merriam-webster.com Merriam-webster.com]. Accessed August 2011.</ref>
*** Styles of dishes
**** [[National dish]] &ndash; culinary [[Dish (food)|dish]] that is strongly associated with a particular country.,<ref name=Natg>{{cite web|title=Top Ten National Dishes|url=http://travel.nationalgeographic.co.uk/travel/top-10/national-food-dishes/|publisher=National Geographic Magazine (Travel section)|access-date=2013-03-06}}</ref> and are part of a nation's identity and self-image.<ref name=Janer2008>{{Cite book|title=Latino food culture|series=Food cultures in America|author=Zilkia Janer|publisher=ABC-CLIO|year=2008|isbn=9780313340277|pages=71–73}}</ref> A dish can be considered a national dish for a variety of reasons:
***** It is a staple food, made from a selection of locally available foodstuffs that can be prepared in a distinctive way, such as ''[[Shellfish|Fruits de mer]]'', served along the west coast of [[France]].<ref name="Natg" />
***** It contains a particular 'exotic' ingredient that is produced locally, such as the [[South America]]n [[paprika]] grown in the European [[Pyrenees]].<ref name=Natg />
***** It is served as a [[Festival|festive]] culinary tradition that forms part of a [[cultural heritage]]&mdash;for example, [[barbecue]]s at [[summer camp]] or [[fondue]] at [[Party#Dinner party|dinner parties]]&mdash;or as part of a [[Religion|religious practice]] such as [[Korban Pesach]] or [[Iftar]] celebrations.<ref name=Natg />
** [[Bread]] &ndash; staple food prepared from a dough of flour and water, usually by baking. Throughout recorded history it has been popular around the world and is one of the oldest artificial foods, having been of importance since the dawn of agriculture. ''See [[List of breads]].''
** [[Garnish (food)|Garnishes]] &ndash; items or substances used as a decoration or embellishment accompanying a prepared food dish or drink. In many cases, it may give added or contrasting [[Flavor (taste)|flavor]].  Some garnishes are selected mainly to augment the visual impact of the plate, while others are selected specifically for the flavor they may impart.<ref>{{cite encyclopedia|url=http://www.foodterms.com/encyclopedia/garnish/index.html|title=Garnish|encyclopedia=Food Encyclopedia|publisher=Food Network|access-date=1 September 2012|archive-date=21 January 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170121071413/http://www.foodterms.com/encyclopedia/garnish/index.html|url-status=dead}}</ref>
** [[Condiment]]s &ndash; spice, sauce or other food preparation that is added to foods to impart a particular flavor, enhance its flavor,<ref>Merriam-Webster: Definition of condiment</ref> or in some [[cultures]], to complement the dish. ''See [[List of condiments]].''
** [[Leftovers]] –
** [[Fast food]] &ndash; a type of [[Mass production|mass-produced]] food designed for commercial resale, with a strong priority placed on speed of service.