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 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.

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.

biscuit belt n. “Well the area of the country that I practice in Gastonia North Carolina is what some physicians refer to euphemistically is the biscuit belt. We have a problem with patients being overweight.”

strolling supper n. I “get” the fact that a “strolling supper” is another term for “buffet,” but I have a question: what happens if the “strolling” supper gets up and leaves?

battery cage n. …considered the worst animal-confinement systems in factory farms.…so-called battery cages, where four or more hens share a space about the size of a file drawer.

fluffy n. If you’re not familiar with the term, a fluffy—known in Australia as a baby cino—is basically a tiny cup filled with froth and sprinkled with chocolate for children, allowing them to think of themselves as coffee-swilling adults.

Courtesy of the Double-Tongued Dictionary, where you can find more neologisms about many diverse topics other than food.

doughing in n. Recently, Whyte brewed a batch of American pale ale in her kitchen using hops she grew in her backyard. First, she heated five gallons of water on her stove to about 150 to 160 degrees. She poured it into a bucket full of malted barley—a process called “doughing in.”

mistelle n. Pedneault also produces an iced apple mistelle—with alcohol added to bring it to 20 per cent and served frosty, it’s Quebec’s version of ice wine—and is often paired on local menus with foie gras.

louching n. Specially designed for the purpose, it’s shallow-to-flat bowl is decoratively slotted, and a cube of sugar is laid on top. Very slowly, ice cold water is dripped over the sugar cube and slowly drops into the absinthe. That nectar first turns the liquor an eerie shade of milky green and, gradually, a cloud-like opalescent. This technique is called la louche, or louching.

fat washing n. Although in this case it’s bacon-flavored bourbon, and the process, known as a fat washing, is different from a typical infusion. Essentially, beverage director Paul Westerkamp renders bacon, combines the grease with Woodford Reserve bourbon, freezes it, pokes a hole in the upper frozen layer, and then drains and filters the liquid.

night lunch n. As our lovely little girl, Anna, came early, we had to spend a few extra weeks in the hospital with her. My wife and I learned a few things.…There’s a mystical fourth meal around 9pm called “night lunch.”

From the Double-Tongued Dictionary

flossy adj. Most of the good Portland restaurants serve what is known as “flossy” food (for fresh, local, organic, sustainable, seasonable). Flossies are people who believe in these ideals and try to eat in that manner.

foodshed n. the area which can, or is sufficient to, provide food for a given location.

meat diaper n. the absorbent pad packaged between a (styrofoam) tray and meat for sale.

smash cake n. a celebratory cake intended to be destroyed, especially by a child.

For more, food-related or no, check out The Double-Tongued Dictionary.