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…
Archive for 03/2009
“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…
“A man takes a drink…then the drink takes the man”
"First the man takes a drink. Then the drink takes a drink. Then the drink takes the man." This Japanese proverb warned of the dangers of drinking too muck sake (rice wine). In 1886, the…
“Why buy the cow when you can get the milk for free?”
"Why buy the cow when you can get the milk for free?" (or, "Why buy a cow when the milk's so cheap?") means that you needn't buy something when it's being offered…
“Champagne to our real friends, and real pain to our sham friends”
"Champagne" was spelled "sham pain" by the 1700s. By at least 1809, a popular toast in America was: "Champagne to our real friends, and real pain to our sham friends."…
“I love cooking with wine—sometimes I even put it in the food”
"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…
BRAT diet (Bananas, Rice, Applesauce, Toast)
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…
Foodie
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
"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…
Gastronome
A "gastronome" is a connoisseur of good food and drink, sometimes also called a "gourmet" or "epicure." The related terms "gastronomist" and…
Recessipe (recession recipe)
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
"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
"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."…
“Cut the mustard”
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
"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…
Bartender
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…
Rib-Off
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…
Pie-Off
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…