Investigating the origins of American words, names, quotations and phrases. Over 41,000 entries.
"I love cooking with wine -- sometimes I even put it in the food." This popular quote has been attributed to French chef Julia Child (1912-2004) and to the film comedian (and lover of the…
The "BRAT diet" is and acronym for a diet of Bananas, Rice, Applesauce and Toast. The BRAT diet -- cited in print from at least 1975 -- was intended for infants and people with…
A "foodie" is someone who is interested in food and drink. The term is a modern one, less pretentious and mostly replacing the term "gourmet." Paul Levy and Ann Barr cowrote the…
"Gourmet" (cited in English since at least 1798) originally meant a wine merchant's assistant or a wine taster. With one sip, the gourmet could tell exactly what he was drinking. The…
A "gastronome" is a connoisseur of good food and drink, sometimes also called a "gourmet" or "epicure." The related terms "gastronomist" and…
The economic recession of 2008-2009 caused many people to choose simpler, less expensive meals. The word "recessipe" (recession recipe) was popularized in February and March 2009. A blog…
"Variety meats" (almost always in the plural, but sometimes written as "variety meat") are also known as 'offal" -- parts of slaughtered animals that are often thrown…
"Bar chef" is a modern term for a "mixologist," or a person who concocts drinks. Both terms are used to differentiate from the stardard job title of "bartender."…
Entry in progress -- B.P. (Oxford English Dictionary)mustard, n. and adj.slang (orig. U.S.). Something which adds piquancy or zest; that which sets the standard or is the best of anything. to cut…
"Mixologist" or "bartender"? Some people say that the terms describe the same person; others say that "mixologist" is merely a fancy name to add an additional few…
A "bartender" (also "bar-tender" or "bar tender") is someone who "tends" to or serves drinks at a "bar." Other names for this job include…
A "rib-off" (not a "rip-off," and having nothing to do with "Adam's rib") is also called a "rib cook-off." It's a cooking contest where ribs and…
A "pie-off" is like a "bake-off," except only pies can be entered in the baking competition. The "cook-off" is the original of the "-off" words to describe…
Entry in progress -- B.P. Answers.comProverbs: The bread never falls but on its buttered side A formulation of Murphy's Law; cf. if anything can go wrong, it will. His bread never fell on the…
"Take all you want, but eat all you take" (sometime given as "Eat all you want, but eat all you take" or "Eat/Take all you can, but eat all you take") was a food…
Entry in progress -- B.P. Wikipedia: Cotton candyCotton candy (American English), candy floss (British English), or fairy floss (Australian English) is a form of spun sugar. Since it consists of…
The origins of the candy cane are said to date back to the 1600s in Germany. Tradition has it that Bavarian immigrant August Imgard of Wooster, Ohio, put candy canes on America's first…
Aggie Punch is most likely named after the Texas A&M Aggies, although other "agricultural" colleges also use the Aggie nickname. The drink contains tequila, lime juice and…
A Cosmoquila cocktail is a Cosmopolitan cocktail with tequila instead of vodka. The Cosmoquila cocktail is cited in print since 2000 and has been promoted by the Casa Noble Tequila Company. Other…
The Nickelodeon children's television show iCarly featured several "Texas wedgies" in 2008. A "wedgie" is when someone's undergarments are pulled up to wedge between…