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A canapé or canape is a small, prepared, and usually decorative hors d'oeuvres which is held in the fingers, and often eaten in one bite. Crackers or small slices of bread or toast are cut into various shapes and serve as a base for such savory foods as meat, cheese, fish, caviar, foie gras, purees or relish.
Traditionally, the canapes are made from stale white bread, cut in thin slices and then shaped into the various shapes with a cutter or knives. Shapes might include circles, rings, squares, strips or triangles. These pieces of bread are then be prepared by one of the following techniques:
The foods are sometimes highly processed and decoratively applied (i.e. piped) to the base with a pastry bag. Decorative garnishes are then applied.
Canapes are usually served on a canape tray, and eaten from small canape plates.
A canape may also be referred to as "finger food", although not all finger foods are canapes.
In Italy, canapés are called tramezzini.