“(Not for) All the tea in China”
"All the tea in China" means a great amount; the Chinese grow and consume large amounts of tea. "Not for all the tea in China" means that someone won't do something, even…
“Smooth seas make poor sailors”
"Smooth seas make poor sailors" is a nautical proverb that dates to at least 1863. The saying means that smooth seas don't provide sailors with a proper challenge or test to make…
“Anyone can steer the ship in calm waters”
"Anyone can steer the ship in calm waters" (also "Anybody can steer the ship in calm waters") means that maintaining a profitable stock portfolio is easy in calm or prosperous…
“The only function of economic forecasting is to make astrology look respectable”
Ezra Solomon (1920-2002) was a professor of economics at Stanford University. As a member of the President Nixon's Council of Economic Advisors (1971-1973), Solomon contributed to the change…
“Say ‘Cheese!’”
Entry in progress -- B.P. Jokes on the saying include “I was never a photogenic person, mainly because when everyone said cheese I said ‘where?!‘“, "I wonder how many photographers…
Red Flannel Hash
Entry in progress -- B.P. Wikipedia: FlannelRed Flannel Hash is a breakfast hash originally from New England that involves beets. Here is the legend: Suspecting her husband of unfaithfulness a…
“Coffee, tea or me?”
"Coffee, tea or milk?" was the familiar question that an airline stewardess (now called "flight attendant") offered passengers in the 1950s and 1960s. The book Coffee, Tea or…
Airline Food (Airplane Food)
Airline food (also called "airplane food" or "airline meal" or "in-flight meal") was essentially started by United Airlines in late 1936-early 1937, when food…
Apple Annie & Apple Mary
"Apple Annie" and "Apple Mary" are names given to women who sell apples. The names are often associated with the 1930s Depression-era apple sellers, but both names were…
“Recessions catch what auditors miss”
"Recessions catch what the auditors miss" is a saying often attributed to economist John Kenneth Galbraith (1908-2006), and he did say that in a July 2002 interview. However,…
“If you can’t see water, don’t order fish”
'If you can't see water, don't order fish" means that fish won't be fresh if you're not near the source. For example, Florida might be a better state to eat seafood in…
“Never eat Chinese food in Oklahoma”
New York (NY) Times restaurant critic Bryan Miller wrote a list of "Rules of the Road" in his July 16, 1983 column. One rule was: "The Chinese Law: Never eat Chinese food in…
“Never eat at a place called Mom’s”
In the early-mid 1900s, many restaurants advertised "real home cooking" and were called "Mom's." Nelson Algren's novel A Walk on the Wild Side (1956) stated three…
“Waiter, there’s a fly in my soup!”
"Waiter! There's a fly in my soup!" is an old joke, with many punchlines. The joke is first cited in 1872 and was frequently told in the 1880s. In the late 1888s, the slang phrase…
“A man walks into a bar…” (bar jokes)
Bar jokes have existed probably as long as bars have existed. In the 1950s, the jokes began with animals (such as a dog or a kangaroo) coming into a bar and asking for a drink. By the 1970s, the…
Burrito
Entry in progress -- B.P. WIkipedia: BurritoA burrito (IPA: /bəˈriːto/), or taco de harina, is a type of food found in Mexican and Tex-Mex cuisine. It consists of a flour tortilla wrapped or…
Slow Food
"Slow food" is a term meant to counter "fast food." The slow food movement was founded by Carlo Petrini in Italy in the mid-1980s, after protests were made over the opening of a…
Fast Food (Fast Food Restaurant)
"Fast food" is a quickly prepared meal at a "fast food restaurant" -- such as a hamburger ("fast food") at McDonald's (a "fast food restaurant"). The…
Pot Roast (Yankee Pot Roast)
Entry in progress -- B.P. Wikipedia: Pot roast (beef)Pot roast is a braised beef dish. Pot roast is typically made by browning a roast-sized piece of beef (often taken from the tougher chuck cut)…
Cheese (“Cheese it—the cops!”)
"Cheese it!" was a popular expression in the 19th century, usually a warning from one person to another to stop their current activity because a policeman was approaching ('Cheese it…