Barista
"Barista" is the Italian word for "bartender." By at least 1964 (according to an English citation below), the "barista" was a person in an Italian coffee bar who…
Sling (Singapore Sling)
Entry in progress -- B.P. Epicurious.com: Food DictionaryslingAn alcoholic drink made with lemon juice, powdered sugar and a LIQUOR such as BRANDY, GIN, VODKA or WHISKEY. Slings are usually served…
Gairville
"Gairville" was once the nickname of that area of Brooklyn between the Brooklyn and Manhattan Bridges, now known as DUMBO. Robert Gair (1839-1927) was a successful paper-box and paper-bag…
“A watched pot never boils”
"A watched pot never boils" (also "a watched kettle never boils" and "a watched pot is slow to boil") means that constant anticipation and watching makes things seem…
Mamie Taylor (cocktail)
The Mamie Taylor cocktail was named after an 1890s opera star. The non-alcoholic Horse's Neck cocktail contained ginger ale, ice and lime juice; the Mamie Taylor added whiskey. The 1940s-1950s…
“Hill of beans” (idiom)
"Hill of beans" (or "not worth a hill of beans") means a worthless thing or endeavor; a "bean" isn't worth much, so a "hill of beans" isn't worth…
“Go the whole hog”
"To go the whole hog" (that is, to go all the way) is an Americanism that dates back to January 1828. Supporters of presidential candidate Andrew Jackson were called "whole hog"…
Chevon (goat meat)
"Chevon" is a modern word meaning "goat meat," taken from the French word for goat (chèvre ). The new term (pronounced like shav'on) won a 1922 contest by the Sheep and…
Cary Grant (cocktail)
The Cary Grant cocktail was named after the actor Cary Grant (1904-1986). Grant drank many cocktails on film, but it's not known if he ever had the cocktail named after him. (Grant's…
Shirley Temple (non-alcoholic cocktail)
The Shirley Temple cocktail is a non-alcoholic cocktail (or "mocktail") named after film's 1930s child star Shirley Temple (1928-2014). According the the most frequent story, a…
Yum (Yum-Yum; Yummy; Yumptious; Yum-O)
"Yum" is used to express satisfaction, especially in regard to food that one has tasted. The food can be described as "yum-yum," "yummy," and even "yum-o."…
“Everything but the squeal”
"Everything but the squeal" is a term used at hog packing houses to indicate that almost nothing of the animal goes to waste. The term dates from about the 1860s and is still used. A…
Micro-recipe
There are at least two meanings for "micro-recipe." A "micro-recipe" can be a recipe to be cooked in a microwave oven. This use of "micro-recipe" dates to at least…
Twecipe (Twitter recipe)
"Twecipe" is a recipe on Twitter (a social micro-blogging service). Recipes are given in posts of up to 140 characters. A user of the "Twecipe" service can type in several…
BILF (bacon or burger variant of MILF)
BILF is a bacon or burger variation of the sexual slang term MILF. The "BILF" bacon version was put on T-shirts by January 2008. In March 2009, Top Chef judge Padma Lakshmi made a…
Purple Cow (grape soda float)
"Purple cow" was an 1895 poetic creation of Gelett Burgess (1866-1951). In 1930, "purple cow" became a popular drink of grape juice with ice cream. The modern "purple…
Red Ink (cheap red wine)
"Red ink" has been a nickname for "cheap red wine" since at least 1863. The nickname was frequently used in Italian restaurants in America, which were called "red ink…
“Comparing apples and oranges”
Entry in progress -- B.P. Wikipedia: Apples and oranges"Apples and oranges" refers to the idiom "comparing apples and oranges" or "apples to oranges", which is used to…
“No man in the world has more courage than the man who can stop after eating one peanut”
"No man in the world has more courage than the man who can stop after eating one peanut" is credited to American playwright Channing Pollock (1880-1946). His name is associated with the…
“Beer is proof that God loves us and wants us to be happy”
"Beer is proof that God loves us and wants us to be happy" is misattributed to Benjamin Franklin (1706-1790). Franklin did write this, in a 1779 letter to André Morellet: "Behold…