Upscale restaurants in America, calling themselves "innovative and gourmet," prepare food the way we used to. In Iran, it's simply how everybody ate. ~ Firoozeh Dumas, Funny in Farsi This quotation was what started a family discussion on our way to Garrapata today. And it continued while we hiked to the top of Doud Peak... I asked: What does gourmet mean? D asserted 'exotic, fancy'; Jake added 'lavish'; R thought 'creative.' Eventually we decided that 'gourmet' is a relative term. What's gourmet to one cook might be everyday for another. I think, for some, gourmet just means homemade or from scratch. For us, it's a dish that's exotic, fancy, lavish, and creative. I'll add layered and innovative. I think a gourmet dish has multiple flavors and textures. Thanks, Firoozeh, for the starting point of a great conversation! What do you think gourmet means?