The préfou is a regional culinary specialty from

Vendée Vendée () is a department in the Pays de la Loire region in Western France, on the Atlantic coast. In 2019, it had a population of 685,442.France France, officially the French Republic, is a country located primarily in Western Europe. Overseas France, Its overseas regions and territories include French Guiana in South America, Saint Pierre and Miquelon in the Atlantic Ocean#North Atlan ...

. The préfou is made with bread garnished with chopped fresh garlic and butter. It is generally served warm, as an

appetizer An hors d'oeuvre ( ; ), appetiser, appetizer or starter is a small dish served before a meal in European cuisine. Some hors d'oeuvres are served cold, others hot. Hors d'oeuvres may be served at the dinner table as a part of the meal, or th ...

. The dish was originally known as "prefour", as it was developed from dough used to test the temperature of wood-fired ovens (''fours'', in French). A small ball of dough was placed in the oven until cooked, showing that the required temperature had been reached. Rather than throwing the test bread away, bakers would eat it after rubbing with garlic and butter.

References

French cuisine Appetizers {{food-stub