Efteretter

Efteretter is a culinary term used in Danish and Norwegian menus to denote the desserts or the courses served after the main course. The word derives from efter meaning after and ret or rett meaning dish or course, and it is typically used in written menus and in formal dining contexts. In traditional Scandinavian dining, meals are commonly divided into forretter (starters), hovedretter (main courses), and efteretter (desserts). The term is more common in Danish than in everyday Norwegian usage, where dessert or other regional terms are more frequently used, though efteretter can be encountered in culinary writing and historical sources.

Typical efteretter encompass a range of sweet courses, including fruit-based desserts, custards and puddings, baked pastries, and ice creams or other sweet preparations. Portion sizes tend to be smaller than those of main courses, and in some settings the efteretter is followed by coffee or liqueurs. In modern dining, the word is less common in casual contexts but remains understood among Danish and Norwegian speakers as a reference to the dessert course.

Regional variations exist in terminology and presentation, with some menus using dessert or kake instead of efteretter. The concept, however, remains a standard part of the course sequence in traditional Danish cuisine and in historical or formal Norwegian dining. See also: Dessert, Forretter, Hovedretter.