Gourmet Food. Sure, you've seen a number of posh lifestyle shows that throw the term around as the hosts give you a tour of restaurants and taste the food from one dish to another. From caviar and white truffles to more sophisticated-sounding names, what makes gourmet “gourmet food” anyway? Check out the following characteristics which define gourmet cuisine so that the next time someone invites you to some gourmet food trip, you'll know exactly what to expect.

• HIGH-QUALITY. The high quality you're looking for is in the ingredients of the recipe themselves: prime meat, rich sauce, fresh fruits or vegetables – practically every tiny detail that goes into the whole dish. With the exception of basic commodities such as oil and salt, shopping at the grocery store will almost always disqualify you from ever cooking up something gourmet. Of course, since you'll be paying well for premium ingredients, expect gourmet meals to be typically pricey.

• NON-MAINSTREAM. Basically, gourmet food is food that isn't mass produced. Ditch your fast food favorites such as pasta, lasagna, hotdogs, fries and burgers because even if they're made of expensive and high-quality ingredients, these food types won't qualify as gourmet food on the merit of rarity. A foreign country's native dishes being served by a classy restaurant in your uptown neighborhood are favorite candidates for the “gourmet” label, but not all make the cut. You'll have to consider all criteria.

• RARE. Geographic accessibility of the dish is not the only consideration around, but also the period when food is available. Gourmet food is something you would serve or eat on festive or very special occasions, and for you to do so, you should have some luck in searching for just the right place that's preparing the gourmet cuisine. In this sense, you could say you're looking for something seasonal, and not a meal which you can eat or find on an everyday basis.

• EXPERTLY PREPARED. Gourmet food chefs take pride in their cooking expertise. While no standard piece of paper signifies that you're an “expert” in such cuisine preparation, what really counts are the cooking skills needed to gracefully carry out the procedure. Gourmet food preparation goes beyond simple frying, sautéing and straight-forward boiling. You'll have to have the right set of skills to pull off the cooking correctly, effectively and accurately.

• ARTFULLY PRESENTED. This characteristic defines gourmet food from exotic delicacies which you can see vendors peddling at streets. So much respect and awe have been given to the cuisine and all these are with merit – not only on the basis of the price or the cooking skill but on the care exerted on the preparation. The presentation may involve the non-use of the usual chinaware, or the inclusion of rare spices or accompaniments such as edible flowers.

The next time you hear the word “gourmet,” imagine a delectable dish that's high in quality, non-mainstream, rare, expertly prepared and artfully presented. If you love trying out the new and the luxurious, you'll certainly enjoy having your fill of gourmet food. Bon appétit!