LORELAI: Is there anything ceremonial about the salads? Do we carve a crouton, then have them taken away?
A crouton is a piece of rebaked bread, often cubed and seasoned. They are often used to add texture and flavor to salads. The word crouton is derived from the French croûton, meaning “little crust”. Croutons are often seen in the shape of small cubes, but they can be of any size and shape, up to a very large slice.
The Annotated Gilmore Girls 