Eating Your Words

Baked Alaska, melba toast, hush puppies, and coconuts. You'd be surprised at how these food names came to be. And have you ever wondered why we use the expression "selling like hotcakes"? Or how about "spill the beans"? There are many fascinating and funny stories about the language of food--and the food hidden in our language! Charlotte Foltz Jones has compiled a feast of her favorite anecdotes, and John O'Brien's delightfully pun-filled drawings provide the dessert. Bon appetit!

In this language resource for food and word lovers, a thousand-and-one entries on candies, desserts, cocktails, sauces, pastas, and more are covered, including terms from around the world, cooking styles, and descriptions of utensils, as well as tips on usage, special sidebars on food trends and food word topics, and lists of regional snack foods.

“Food writing spans centuries and philosophies. . . . At long last there’s a Norton Anthology with all the most important works.”—Eater Edited by influential literary critic Sandra M. Gilbert and award-winning restaurant critic and professor of English Roger Porter, Eating Words gathers food writing of literary distinction and vast historical sweep into one groundbreaking volume. Beginning with the taboos of the Old Testament and the tastes of ancient Rome, and including travel essays, polemics, memoirs, and poems, the book is divided into sections such as “Food Writing Through History,” “At the Family Hearth,” “Hunger Games: The Delight and Dread of Eating,” “Kitchen Practices,” and “Food Politics.” Selections from writings by Julia Child, Anthony Bourdain, Bill Buford, Michael Pollan, Molly O’Neill, Calvin Trillin, and Adam Gopnik, along with works by authors not usually associated with gastronomy—Maxine Hong Kingston, Henry Louis Gates Jr., Hemingway, Chekhov, and David Foster Wallace—enliven and enrich this comprehensive anthology. “We are living in the golden age of food writing,” proclaims Ruth Reichl in her preface to this savory banquet of literature, a must-have for any food lover. Eating Words shows how right she is.

“An outstanding contribution to the field of food language and lore and an accessible reference book for professional and amateur foodies alike.” —Susannah Seton, author of Simple Pleasures of the Kitchen Eat Your Words is a gloriously gluttonous glossary of all things grub and gastronomy: It’s a true treat for anyone who loves language as much as they love food. With witty and fun definitions of everything from aeroponics to zoosaprophagy, this compilation offers definitions of six thousand unusual and unfamiliar terms across twenty-one fact-packed courses. For bon viveurs and verbivores alike: Are you a gourmet who knows the difference between Maldon and Morton salt? Maybe you’re an expert on the properties of heat in cooking. Or you’re a cocktail connoisseur with a taste for tequila. Eat Your Words is a surprising treat for anyone who loves learning about food and cooking. A delight for word nerds: For Scrabble stars and anyone who excels at Words with Friends, Eat Your Words is a clever guide to little-known culinary terms that will give you that special edge. In Eat Your Words, you’ll find terms about: A cornucopia of culinary treats from around the world The cultivation, selling, and serving of every food you can imagine The appetites of diners and their dinners across all species This new dictionary is the fun reference book you didn’t know you wanted. Fans of Tequila Mockingbird and On Food and Cooking will enjoy this fascinating journey into the language of food and eating. “Now I can impress my food-snob friends with more than my ratatouille and learn some great food-related Scrabble words as well.” —Nina Lesowitz, author of The Party Girl Cookbook

Examines the figure of the cannibal as it relates to cultural identity in a wide range of literary and cultural texts.

Baked Alaska, melba toast, hush puppies, and coconuts. You'd be surprised at how these food names came to be. And have you ever wondered why we use the expression "selling like hotcakes"? Or how about "spill the beans"? There are many fascinating and funny stories about the language of food--and the food hidden in our language! Charlotte Foltz Jones has compiled a feast of her favorite anecdotes, and John O'Brien's delightfully pun-filled drawings provide the dessert. Bon appetit!

There are few things that compare to an afternoon curled up with a good book. It is even better if it is followed by a great meal shared with good friends. And the cherry on the top is when, at the end of the gathering, you have a fresh stack of books next to your bed to thrill you for the coming month. But probably the greatest scenario of all is when it was you who hosted book club and everything went smoothly: you did not kill yourself during the preparations for the evening and your guests liked your books and loved your food. I hope this book will help you towards that specific state of bliss. The idea for this collection of recipes started with the premise that not all readers are necessarily confident cooks. Neither are some social people who want to invite a group of friends or family over for a catch-up or special celebration. This book helps you prepare a great meal for your gathering with a bit of planning and without too much stress. For this reason the emphasis is on dishes that can be prepared and often completed before the guests arrive.

This book is a lively exploration of the amazing revelation known to Mormons as the “Word of Wisdom.” It counsels us how and what we should eat to reach our highest potential, both physically and spiritually. New and surprising insights are presented through the perspective of what has been proven to be the healthiest human diet, a way of eating supported both by history and by science: a whole food, plant-based (WFPB) diet. WFPB vegetarian diets have been scientifically proven to both prevent and cure chronic disease, help you achieve your maximum physical potential, and make it easy to reach and maintain your ideal weight. In this book, you’ll find the stories of dozens of people who are enjoying the blessings of following a Word of Wisdom diet, and you’ll get concrete advice on how to get started! You will discover: What we should and should not eat to enjoy maximum physical health. How food is intimately connected to our spiritual well being. Why Latter-day Saints are succumbing to the same chronic diseases as the rest of the population, despite not smoking, drinking, or doing drugs. How the Word of Wisdom was designed specifically for our day. How you can receive the “hidden treasures” and other blessings promised in the Word of Wisdom. Why eating the foods God has ordained for our use is better not just for our bodies, but for the animals and for the earth. You may think you know what the Word of Wisdom says, but you’ll be amazed at what you have missed. Learn why Mormons all over the world are “waking up” to the Word of Wisdom!