Talk Turkey (Talking Turkey)
To "talk turkey" originally meant to say pleasant things to the listener. Over the years, however, the term "talk cold turkey" -- shortened to "talk turkey" -- meant…
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“Do you serve crabs here?” (joke)
An old joke is the one about the diner who went into a restaurant and asked: "Do you serve crabs here?" The quick-witted waiter replied: "We serve anyone. Sit down." The joke…
Lemon (“Hand someone a lemon,” “If life gives you lemons, make lemonade”)
Entry in progress -- B.P. Wikipedia: Lemon lawLemon laws are American state laws that provide a remedy for purchasers of cars that repeatedly fail to meet standards of quality and performance.…
Wine Bar
Wine bars started in France; they weren't called "wine bars," but countless places in France serve wine. Beginning by at least the 1940s, wine bars began to be established in London.…
Whoopie Pie (Whoopee Pie)
Whoopie pies (also spelled "whoopee") are often claimed to be a Pennsylvania Dutch treat, but dessert cookbook author Nancy Baggett found recipes in Pennsylvania cookbooks since only the…
“When a poor man eats a chicken, one of them is sick”
"When a poor man eats a chicken, one of them is sick" is a line from the 1964 Broadway musical (and 1971 movie) Fiddler on the Roof. The line is often given as a Yiddish proverb or a…
Bakery
Entry in progress -- B.P. Wikipedia: BakeryA bakery (also called baker's or bakehouse) is an establishment which produces or/and sells bread, pies, pastries, cakes & cupcakes, biscuits,…
Bronx Grape (Bronx Seedless Grape)
The "Bronx Seedless" grape (or "Bronx Grape") was named in 1936-1937 and was developed by Dr. A. B. (Arlow) Stout of the New York Botanical Garden in the Bronx, NY. The grape…
Apple Cider Donut (Apple Cider Doughnut)
Apple cider donuts (or "apple cider doughnuts," frequently shortened to "cider donuts"/"cider doughnuts") showed up in New York City's Greenmarkets since at least…
“A stew boiled is a stew spoiled”
An old adage (dating to at least the 1820s) is: "Turkey boiled is Turkey spoiled;And Turkey roast is Turkey lost;But Turkey braised is Turkey praised." By at least 1866, this became:…
“(I will gladly pay you Tuesday for) A hamburger today”
"I would gladly pay you Tuesday for a hamburger today" was spoken by the comic character J. Wellington Wimpy in E. C. Segar's 1930s comic strip "Thimble Theatre," featuring…
“No man is lonely while eating spaghetti, for it requires so much attention”
"No man is lonely while eating spaghetti, for it requires so much attention" is a quip from author Christopher Morley (1890-1957). The quotation is often attributed -- incorrectly -- to…
“Cooking Rule: If at first you don’t succeed, order pizza”
"If at first you don't succeed, try, try again" is a popular American poem verse from the 1830s. The verse has many joke endings that replace "try, try again." Cooking…
Plain Vanilla (simple financial tools and methods)
Vanilla is the most popular flavor of ice cream, so lots of people must like it. "Plain vanilla," however, is something that is basic, standard, and perhaps also drab and dull. As late as…
“Money is to New York City as power is to Washington, D.C.”
"As money is to New York City, the old analogy goes, so power is to Washington, DC." wrote Timothy Carney in the March 14, 2009 New York (NY) Post. It is not clear who originated this…
Vanilla (plain or ordinary)
Vanilla is the most popular flavor of ice cream, so lots of people must like it. "Plain vanilla," however, is something that is basic, standard, and perhaps also drab and dull. As late as…
“Sell when Business Week says buy” (Business Week cover curse/cover jinx)
"Sell when Business Week says buy" is a reflection of the so-called "Business Week cover curse" (or "Business Week cover jinx"). A magazine's reporting usually…
Pay-What-You-Want (Pay-As-You-Wish)
The economic slump of 2007-2009 resulted in some restaurants not charging any set fees, but having customers on a "pay-what-you-want" basis. The concept is not new -- Clifton's…
“I love coffee, I love tea” (“Java Jive”)
"I love coffee, I love tea" (also "I like coffee, I like tea") is best known today as the first line of the song "Java Jive" (1940, with words by Milton Drake, music…
“Sugar is sweet and so are you” (“Roses are red…”)
"Roses red, and violets blew" comes from Edmund Spenser's epic poem, The Faerie Queene (1590). In the 1800s, the line "roses are red, violets are blue" was used at the…