A look at some of the new words and phrases about food.

Foodoir n. A memoir that includes recipes or that is focused on food, meals, or cooking. [Blend of food and memoir.]

Whole Foods Republicans n. “Independent-minded voters who embrace a progressive lifestyle but not progressive politics. These highly-educated individuals appreciate diversity and would never tell racist or homophobic jokes; they like living in walkable urban environments; they believe in environmental stewardship, community service and a spirit of inclusion. And yes, many shop at Whole Foods, which has become a symbol of progressive affluence but is also a good example of the free enterprise system at work.”

Koodie n. slang. A kid keenly interested in food, especially eating, cooking or watching reruns of Julia Child. A kid who has an ardent or refined interest in food; a mini-gourmet; usually trained by one or both parents to have an unusual, and sometimes fanatic, desire to eat unusual foods. Evolution from the now defunct word “foodie.”

TweetWhatYouEat, n. (commonly known as “twye“). A Twitter application that helps people track what they eat, thereby encouraging them to eat more healthily.

Men-tertainers n. an increasing number of males are spending their free time organising dinner parties for their friends.

Courtesy of The Double-tongued Dictionary, Word Spy, and Schott’s Vocab.

A monthly look at new words and phrases about food.

rito n. A clipping of burrito. “I just got out of a noise violation because the cop recognized my roommate as his favorite chipotle burrito roller. just another reason I love ritos.”

weed in a can n. “Drank” is being billed as the anti-energy drink, to help you relax and soothe out the day. The key ingredients in the grape-flavored drink are melatonin, valerian root and rose hip. Those are all herbs used to help in relaxation and trouble sleeping. The concept of the “relaxation beverage,” has led some people to refer to the drink as “weed in a can.” (Not to be confused with Purple drank, which is the slang term for a recreational drug popular in the hip-hop community of the southern United States. Its main ingredient is prescription-strength cough syrup containing codeine and promethazine.

vampire n. A traditional dish in the Republic of Chad in central Africa that is made with animal blood. “Vampire,” as it is jokingly dubbed, is making a comeback amid a global surge in food prices that has left meat too expensive for many. It is made with peppers, salt, onions, spicy sauce and maggi [stock cubes], and then fried together. Some nutritional specialists say that “vampire” is a good source of nutrients and protein, especially for children. One local was enthusiastic about its culinary merits too, stating: “The taste is good, a bit like liver. I really like it. … I suppose it doesn’t sound very good to be associated with sucking blood, but I don’t really care. Perhaps it will give me the strength of a vampire!”

Courtesy of The Double-tongued Dictionary, Word Spy, and Schott’s Vocab.

A monthly look at new words and phrases about food.

eatertain v. Kessler spends a lot of time meeting with (often anonymous) consultants who describe how they are trying to fashion products that offer what’s become known in the food industry as “eatertainment.” Fat, sugar, and salt turn out to be the crucial elements in this quest: different “eatertaining” items mix these ingredients in different but invariably highly caloric combinations.

phantom fat n. Body-image experts say it’s not uncommon for people, especially women, who have lost a lot of weight to be disappointed to some extent to discover that they still aren’t “perfect.” Some specialists use the term “phantom fat” to refer to this phenomenon of feeling fat and unacceptable after weight loss.

Courtesy of The Double-tongued Dictionary, Word Spy, and Schott’s Vocab.

A monthly look at new words and phrases about food.

chicken on a throne n. We are not made of stone, and we could not resist including a clip of America’s most surreal superstar, humbly demonstrating in his own kitchen how he makes roasted chicken with pears. More important than the crazy vocal cadence or his recipe, though, is the technique, sometimes referred to as beer can chicken or “chicken on a throne,” though technically known as indirect grilling. (This refers to the famous viral video of Christopher Walken.)

enhanced chicken n. People shouldn’t be paying chicken prices for saltwater. But some unscrupulous poultry producers add as much as 15 percent saltwater—and then have the gall to label such pumped-up poultry products “natural.” Some in the industry euphemistically call chicken soaked or injected with salt water “enhanced chicken.” Of course this isn’t really about enhancing chicken, it’s about enhancing profits. Someone’s clucking all the way to the bank.

VB6 n. VB6 is short for Vegan Before 6, the increasingly popular veggie-heavy diet that converts say can do wonders for both the body and the planet. Coined and devise by food writer Mark Bittman, the regime is pretty self-explanatory: No animal products, processed food or simple carbohydrates during the day. After 6 p.m., anything goes.

Courtesy of The Double-tongued Dictionary and Schott’s Vocab.

A monthly look at new words and phrases about food.

Citrus Fruit Conspiracy n. A theory proposed by an Iranian official to explain how Israeli citrus fruit were (illegally) imported into Iran. “The media showcased the contraband citrus, the warehouses where it was stored were shut down, and the authorities pledged to bring to justice the miscreants involved. A senior Iranian politician even accused the opposition of a citrus fruit conspiracy.”

Georgia ice cream n. Rogers merely shifted the ideas that worked at Toddle House, such as waffles with pecans, into the Waffle House concept. He always served lots of grits, which Rogers likes to call “Georgia ice cream.”

cheat meal n. By setting aside one day a week to eat junk food or whatever you want you take control of your cravings and eat on your terms. This is often referred to as a “cheat meal” because you are deliberately cheating on you diet. This is a method of rewarding yourself for eating well during the rest of the week and provides a much needed psychological boost.

black and pink n. Pity the coffee vendor in New York who doesn’t know that a black and pink means a black coffee with a packet of saccharin.

Courtesy of The Double-tongued Dictionary and Schott’s Vocab.

One of the great advantages of preparing country ham is all that leftover ham and a beautiful country ham bone.  What will you do with that ham bone ? Split pea soup?  Senate bean soup?  How about Brunswick stew?

“U 91 : Brunswick County, Virginia — The Original Home of Brunswick Stew.”

“According to local tradition, while Dr. Greed Haskins and several friends were on a hunting trip in Brunswick County in 1828, his camp cook, Jimmy Matthews, hunted squirrels for a stew. Matthews simmer the squirrels with butter, onions, and stale bread, and seasoning, thus creating the dish known as Brunswick stew. Recipes for Brunswick stew have changed over time as chicken has replaced squirrel and vegetables have been added, but the stew remains thick and rich. Other states have made similar claims but Virginia is the first. (Department of Historic Resources, 1987)”

The first Brunswick stew was made here in the Brunswick - Golden Isles area in early colonial days. It remains an American favorite. Christopher K. Jones, Troop 224 Eagle Scout Project, 10-17-88"

There are as many recipes for Brunswick stew as there are southern cooks.  There’s even major disagreement about where Brunswick stew originated, with Virginia and Georgia both claiming credit.  Some folks say you need squirrel, others say rabbit, others say just chicken is fine.  But Camille Glenn writes in her cookbook that THE essential ingredient for Brunswick Stew is a bone from a country ham.  Corn and lima beans may also be essential (at least Craig Claiborne thought so).  Other than that, be inventive.

We’re soliciting comments from some real southern cooks out there who know how they make their grandmother’s Brunswick Stew.  Meanwhile, here’s a basic recipe:

1. Simmer your ham bone for an hour in a large pot with several quarts of water.
2. Add various meats you have on hand (chicken, rabbit, squirrel, what have you) with bay leaves, thyme, parsley, celery ribs, whole or diced onions and peppercorns.  Simmer uncovered until tender (2 hours). (note: it appears that many cooks brown the meat first in peanut oil or bacon drippings, sauté the holy trinity (onions, peppers and celery) and then add the ham bone + water).
3. Remove the meat and set aside.
4. Strain the stock and skim off (only) some of the fat.
5. Add vegetables (tomatoes, carrots, chopped celery, chopped onions, potatoes, lima or butter beans, corn and chile pepper).  Simmer uncovered until vegetables are cooked (45 mins).
6. Bone the meat and return to kettle.  Add more water if needed.  Simmer 15 minutes.  Add salt & pepper as needed.
7. Serve with corn bread or white rice.

Variation 1: add more spices such as paprika, onion powder, dry mustard, garlic powder, and savory a la Paul Prudhomme.

Variation 2: add red wine vinegar and juice of 2 lemons.

Question to all you authentic southern cooks out there: Do you all ever add okra to Brunswick Stew?

A monthly look at new phrases about food.

pork flap n. You have to start with the right cut of meat—pork belly. In our part of the world, we refer to it as pork flap; so when you go to get your meat to try either or both of these recipes, ask for the pork flap. Both of the recipes recommend this part of the meat but pork shoulder can work also but trust me, get the pork flap.

lo-vegetarian n. Gradually, “lacto-ovo vegetarians” grouped and shortened their title to “vegetarian.” This is why I sometimes use the term “lo-vegetarian” where the “lo” stands for “lacto-ovo.”

recess-ipe n. Recession recipes, making a family-sized meal for $10 or less.

center-of-the-plate cost n. Because whole grains offer long-lasting satisfaction, they offset what the hospitality industry calls “center-of-the-plate costs”—the expensive, high-protein foods, often rich in saturated fats, that are traditionally served in all too generous portions.

fannings n.pl. After the tea leaves are taken off the drying racks, the tiny broken pieces and “tea dust” are called “fannings” and that goes into a teabag. Yup, the leftover bits with the least amount of quality and taste are in that dunkable paper sac.

home meal replacement n. In America, though, where eating out is a way of life, the supermarket dinner—“home meal replacement” as they call it in the business—has yet to catch on.

homedulgence n. During a recession, the tendency for consumers to prefer home-based indulgences, such as cocktail parties and lavish dinners. “The move to homedulgence is one way consumers can ride out the recession and it is predicted it will soon extend to many other areas of life, such as mix-your-own cocktails evenings and home dining clubs.”

The Hummers of Food n. a nickname for hamburgers, supposedly because of the ecological impact of beef production. Reporting on research into the “environmental costs of food from field to plate,” A.F.P. noted the comparison between burgers and luxury S.U.V.s: When it comes to global warming, hamburgers are the Hummers of food, scientists say. Simply switching from steak to salad could cut as much carbon as leaving the car at home a couple days a week.

Gyaku-Choko n. (Japanese for “reverse chocolate.”) Previously, it was the unwritten rule that Japanese women buy chocolates for the men in their lives – ranging from their husbands to male colleagues at work, or even the managers of their condominiums. But this year, a new buzzword has hit the country – gyaku-choko, which means “reverse chocolate.” In order to attract male customers, department stores promoted chocolates next to men’s fashion displays and the confectioner Morinaga even decided to print the packaging of a range of chocolates in reverse.

Courtesy of  The Double-tongued Dictionary, Word Spy, and Schott’s Vocab.

Don’t let your grandma’s tale of kitchen terror dissuade you from using this great time-saving device.

(I realize I’ve been talking incessantly about my new toy, so I hope you’ll indulge me a little longer…)

Aside from the rattle of an old-fashioned pressure cooker, and the escaping of steam, there’s really nothing on the face of them that make them any different from a regular pot and lid. Except for the possibility of them exploding. And you might even have some family lore that would justify the fear.

The pressure cooker was invented back in the early 20th century, and was used as a method for industrial canning. They didn’t make it to the home market until the late 1930′s, and were thought to be completely safe. (They were even used on early transcontinental airline flights to provide hot meals for passengers.) Then came World War II, and the US government was hungry for the aluminum that the pressure cookers were made from. Companies that manufactured them were retooled to make military equipment, like airplane engine parts. Housewives were encouraged to donate their pots and pans for the war effort. After the war, the swords returned to ploughshares, and companies retooled once again to make household goods. But the quality of the pots and pans weren’t that great. Production methods favored quantity over quality. Tons of cheap, poorly made pressure cookers hit the market in the late 40′s and early 50′s, and they had the reputation — rightfully so — of exploding under the higher than normal pressures. So if you were a lucky enough cook not to personally experience an in-kitchen detonation, chances are you were wary enough of them to tuck the pots in the deepest depths of your cupboards — only to have them be resurrected by your heirs in the 70′s, who also experienced the same disasterous results.

These days, however, the newer pressure cookers are designed with safety features — pressure regulating systems, and durable, high-quality stainless steel construction. There’s little reason to fear them now.

And there’s certainly no reason to splurge on the electronic gadgetry that mesmerized me recently. Although I’ve used it for some aspect of every meal I’ve made since I bought it — either for the main course, or for a side dish — you can certainly make do with a less expensive, more conventional model. It’ll just require a little more attention and care, but you’ll save a lot on the price. A good 6 quart pressure cooker can be had for as little as $40.

One thing I’ve really noticed while working with mine is that pressure cookers seem to eat up garlic. No matter how many cloves of garlic I add, the flavor just vanishes.

1   11950      Chili 9000 2.1 oz. 1/2 cup jar……………..$5.49
1   22042      Horseradish Dip 4 oz. bag…………………..$5.45
1   22642      Szechuan Pepper Salt 4 oz. bag ……….$4.59
1   31851      Oregano Mexican .4 oz. 1/2 cup jar…..$2.99

Shipping, $5.95   TOTAL : $25.08

bilingual adj. Out of the types of celestial seasoning tea, the bilingual teas seem to appeal mostly to Hispanic communities. These teas are called bilingual because they mix two different flavor like banana and apple, or cinnamon and apple, or honey and lemon, and so on.

belly wadding n. In the cowboy movies we often see cow punchers and gunfighters pull out what appears to be a short strip of leather and chew away on it—somewhat of a substitute for ribs and beans when they were on the trail or when there was a lull in dodging bullets. Some of the cowboys referred to it as “belly wadding.”

sugar hat n. The key is to find a sugar cone (also known as a “sugar hat”) which is a solid piece of white sugar that you can flame.

murphy style n. I ask this question in the Christmas section because you always see gift packs with coffee beans and it’s not instant coffee. And I am always worried that the gift receipient doesn’t have a coffee maker. Yes, you can make it “murphy style” or some refer to it as cowboy or camp side style. Just use the ground bean and a pot of water, bring to a boil and let the grounds settle.

oyster n. Tuck the knife behind the ball and cut the leg free. As you cut past the socket joint, don’t forget to arc the knife around the little pocket of meat known in birds as the “oyster,” as this is the best part. The oyster is small in wild ducks, but is very large in turkeys, geese and pheasants.

ham fat musician n. He went from being a “ham fat” musician (a term for amateur players in reference to young trombonists greasing their slides with lard) to a professional.

pizza stone n. Baking stone: A stone creates a more even temperature and the crunchy-chewy crust that bakers seek. Also known as a pizza stone, this large porous tile can be left in the bottom of the oven at all times to even the heat.

white tablecloth restaurant n. An upscale or expensive restaurant, as opposed to a casual or fast-food restaurant. “I’m able to do coupons and help people who are on tight budgets who still want to go out to eat. It’s the Ruth Chris Steakhouses and the white tablecloth restaurants who will see an effect.”

yak n. Their discovery of cognac—“yak” as they affectionately call it—started a fashion among young black Americans who, in a practice considered heresy in France, mix it with fruit juices to make cocktails such as French Connection and Incredible Hulk. The rappers even wrote songs about Hennessy Cognac, referring to it as “Henny” or “Henn-dog.”

Courtesy of The Double-Tongued Dictionary.