Gougères

If you go to a French person’s house for dinner, the evening will start with a cocktail hour. You will be offered an apéritif, a drink made with a spirit designed to whet the appetite, and a small, savory bite, such as a gougère.

Originally from Burgundy, gougères are warm, airy, cheesy puffs of dough made with choux pastry—the same dough that is used to make profiteroles and éclairs. In those cases, the dough is slightly sweet, whereas here it is savory. Choux pastry happens