There is a lot of discontent in the world of those for whom food is a primary interest (some may say an obsession) – and it hinges on the word “foodie”. I don’t have a problem with it myself, as you can tell from my name, but nevertheless, some of you whom I love and admire do find it offensive, so (other than in signing my name) I do try to avoid it. As a believer in finding solutions for that which ails, I am also part of the movement to find a better (i.e more universally acceptable word) for ‘those for whom food is a primary interest’ (almost a raison d’être some might say). So far I have not succeeded, but I have come across some beautiful words in the process.
I am never quite sure of the difference between a gourmand and an epicure, nor where f****e fits in, but one thing I am sure of is that being a f****e does not include gluttony on a regular basis. An occasional gluttonous episode is permitted a f****e when faced with more than an elegant sufficiency of a particularly divine or exceptionally rare food, but daily gluttony is not. Such a practice values quantity over quality. I do wish we had as many words to describe ‘those for whom food is a primary interest’ (this is getting tedious) as we have for those who are gluttonous.
My absolute favourite is 'Flap-Sauce' (or flappe-sawce). It is the sort of insult that your target might, in his or her ignorance, take as a compliment - thereby increasing the value of the jibe enormously, especially if you used it in public. If you are inclined to such mean-spirited jokes of course.
Other alternatives which are equally sadly obsolete are broth-belly, gully-gut, globber, greedy-gut, gutling, and gipe. A particularly scruffy variety is the gobslotch, who is described as ‘a dirty voracious eater.’ ‘Belly-god’ also refers to a glutton, but methinks it could almost be appropriated to mean ‘those of of us for whom food is a primary interest’ (this is really getting tedious).
I eagery await your feedback and suggestions for an alternative word for f****e. In the meanwhile, what else could I give you but a rich sauce for your gluttonous friends to get into a flap over.
For making a rich Caper Sauce
Drain some Capers from their Liquor, and cut them small; put them into a small Sauce-pan with some Essence of Ham; sprinkle in a little pepper, and let it boil up; then put in the Capers, and let it boil up again two or three times, then serve it up hot.
The common Way is, to mix Capers with melted Butter; but who has once tasted the French Caper Sauce will have no Relish for the greasy Kind in common Use.
To save the Expense of Essence of Ham, our common Ham Sauce will do.
[The complete English cook; or, prudent housewife…. Brooks, Catharine; 1770?]
Tomorrow’s Story …
On Belly-cheare.
Quotation for the Day …
What is sauce for the goose may be sauce for the gander, but it is not necessarily sauce for the chicken, the duck, the turkey or the Guinea hen. Alice B. Toklas.
4 comments:
What about an 'Aristologist?'
I'd forgotten that word - although the only use I know of is in the self-styled Australian Aristologist (Edward Abbott) - dreaful book though.
Is it broad enough do you think? It references "dining", and does not appear to include cooking, snacking, sourcing etc.
Also - we would probably end up shortening it to 'aristos' which may not work as well.
We could certainly have a subdivision of aristologists amongst the Abligurands!
Dont forget Michael Symons & Jenifer Helliers old restaurant in Uraidla, Sth Australia, called the 'Uraidla Aristologist' Symons wrote about Abbot in his One Continuous Picnic', which has just been re-released.
To my understanding an aristologist is interested by all things foodie however shuns cook books, learned instruction & the like. Insteada they rely on an innate appreciation of food.
Forgot to add, shortening to aristos, where the origins of the name canme from, as you are aware, will only confuse people with that awful but telgenic chef'Aristos' on Surpise Chef a few years back.
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