Information AboutDelicatessen |
| CATEGORIES ABOUT DELICATESSEN | |
| jewish delicatessens | |
| jewish cuisine | |
| food retailing | |
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A delicatessen (also '''deli''') is a type of store. The word entered English via German , meaning "delicacies" but is ultimately of French origin. It has different meanings in different countries. Delicatessens are often referred to informally as a ''deli''. A delicatessen is something between a fast-food restaurant and a Grocery Store . It offers a much wider and fresher menu than Chain Fast Food Restaurants , rarely employing fry machines and typically making Sandwich es to order. A Grocery Store Or Supermarket may make its own deli food, or even have a deli on site. Like a market, a delicatessen may also offer a selection of shelved food, often of the type that is not likely to be kept for more than a day. Produce , when present, is limited in quantity and often fresh. The ''Deli counter'' of a supermarket is where many Americans obtain their Cold Cut s. Delicatessens vary greatly in size, but are typically not as large as grocery stores. In areas with high rents for retail space, delicatessens are often quite small. Delicatessens can come from a variety of cultural traditions. Most numerous in the United States are Jewish delicatessens, both Kosher and " Kosher Style ." There are also Italian delicatessens and German style delicatessens, usually referred to as "European Delicatessens." Product base Most delicatessens have a sandwich menu, most of which are made to order behind the counter at the time of sale. Delicatessens often sell their Meat s by weight as cold cuts, and prepare Party Tray s. In addition to made-to-order sandwiches, many delicatessens offer made-to-order green Salad s. Equally common is a selection of prepared Pasta , Potato , Chicken , Tuna , Shrimp , or other variety of "wet" salads, displayed underneath the counter and bought by weight or on a sandwich. Precooked chicken, shrimp, cheese, or Eggplant products, possibly fried or Parmigiana style, are found frequently, though they do not constitute the mainstay of a delicatessen. In order to provide an opportunity for a complete Meal , delicatessens also offer a wide variety of Beverages , usually prepackaged Soft Drink s, Coffee , Tea s, Milk , etc. Chips and similar products are available in some variety, though they rarely rival the selection of small package Cookie s and Snack Food s; some pre-packaged, others store-made and cellophane wrapped. Alongside these primarily Lunch and Dinner products, a delicatessen might also offer a number of additional items geared toward the Breakfast eater, including Pancakes , Bacon , Sausage , Waffles , Omelet s and baked goods (breakfast Pastries , Bagels , Toast ), Yogurt , and warm egg "breakfast sandwiches". Newspaper s and small food items such as Candy and Mint s are also usually available for purchase. Urban affiliation The North American delicatessen distribution is skewed towards cities, particularly older cities that are less car-oriented, thus favoring walk-in traffic. The residents of New York City have a particularly close connection to their delis, and many delicatessens outside of New York call themselves "New York Delicatessen," to evoke the emotional appeal of the traditional New York City delicatessen. ''DELICATESSEN'' IN EUROPE In Germany , Switzerland , and Austria , "Delikatessen" (as it is spelled) has a rather different meaning; it designates top-quality foodstuffs. A common synonym is ''Feinkost'' ("fine food") or similar to "Good Eats". The shops which sell them are called ''Delikatessenläden'' ("stores for delicacies"), and department stores often have ''Delikatessenabteilung'' ("delicacies department"). You can also find Delicatessen in Denmark , The Netherlands and Belgium . None of these sells the take-out food that is characteristic of North American delicatessen. CANADIAN USAGE In Canada, both uses of the term are found. First-generation immigrants from Europe often use the term in a manner consistent with its original German meaning. As well, even Jewish delicatessens (as in Montreal , for example) can be either strictly take-out, or mixed take-out and sit-down restaurants. AUSTRALIAN USAGE In South Australia and Western Australia the terms delicatessen and deli are used to denote a small convenience store where people buy newspapers, milk, and sweets. In major centres outside of South Australia and Western Australia delicatessen retains the standard European meaning, and a delicatessen sells cured meats and sausage, pickled vegetables, dips, breads and olives. In South Australia and Western Australia these stores are called ''Continental'' delicatessen. The delicatessen or deli section in an Australian supermarket sells fresh foodstuffs similar to traditional European delicatessens. ORIGIN OF THE WORD Reference works state that the word ''delicatessen'' comes from German ''Delikatessen'', and that this German word is the plural of ''Delikatesse'', which in turn comes from French ''delicatesse'' and means "delicious things (to eat)". The word ''delicate'' is recorded in Latin as ''delicatus'', with the meaning "giving pleasure, delightful". An alternative (although wrong) of the German words "delikates" (delicious, nominative case) and "Essen". "Delikat essen" (with ''delikat'' as an adverb) is also a comprehensible phrase in itself in modern German, meaning "to eat delicious things". LIST OF FAMOUS DELICATESSENS
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