food sayings

[baltoellen]

In a thread the other day, I was writing about a new restaurant, and wrote, "they are being careful not to bite off more than they can chew."

That made me think of foodie sayings that some people use. Such as:

You can't have your cake and eat it too;
and
Their eyes were bigger than their stomachs.

There must be more of these, but now I'm stuck.

So, are there any other common sayings that have their origins in eating and/or ordering food?

[Paulustrious]

Pardon this cornball's sirreverence...

Nuts!

Meat and two veg (aka carrot and onions)

A kick in the plums

A cracker with a nice pair of buns

A bun in the oven

Talking tripe. (cf.: Eating humble pie)

Blowing a raspberry

Pavement pizza

[chef chicklet]

And the ever poplular,

OH FUDGE!

[jumpingmonk]

An obscure one (and to some of us here possibly disturbing one)

In many parts of Southeast Asia they use the expression "It's going ill (or badly) for the dogs" when discussing a legal or business matter that has gone on too long (the connection is that, in many of the places where dog is eaten, it is considered a celebratory food, and it is auspicios to serve it at the conculsion of a sucessful legal matter or stage therof.)

[RicRios]

In the US you would say (equally disturbing) : "It's going well for the lawyers".

[carollins83]

B double E R... Beer Run Beer Run B double E R... (Silly drinking song)
One tequila two tequila three tequila floor

Tequila makes her clothes fall off

got milk

California Grown

Happy cows come from California

let them eat cake

too many cooks ruin the soup

Blacked eyed peas on new years day bring luck all year long. (Southern Grandmothers)

What is worse than finding a worm in your apple? Find half a worm. (My son's riddle book)

One bad apple spoils the lot.

Boxty on the griddle, boxty on the pan.
If you can't make boxty, you'll never get your man (Irish Grandmother)

[Passadumkeg]

My retirement investment philosophy reflects this quotation by HL Mencken:
"Nobody has ever gone broke underestimating the bad taste of an American"
My stock portfolio contains many of the chain restaurants contained in shopping malls, to which you'd have to drag me kicking and screaming. Eat Olive Garden pasta or an Outback steak for my retirement, please. Texas Road House w/ no brisket and Chili's w/ no chile. I love it! Eat up everyone!

[Servorg]

"My stock portfolio contains many of the chain restaurants contained in shopping malls, to which you'd have to drag me kicking and screaming."

An excellent example of someone receiving his "just deserts" as it were... ;-D>

[sabroso]

"I eat my peas with honey
I've done so all my life
They do taste rather funny
But it keeps them on the knife"

[luckyfatima]

Here is one from Gulf Arabic:

"Huwa maa yaarif issaggar yashwi" He who does not know the falcon barbecues it. It is an expression about someone who wastes something valuable due to lack of appreciation for it.

[cuccubear]

"Do you want some cheese with that whine?"

and

"You're as popular as a pickle in the punchbowl!"

[kattyeyes]

I must run with an unsavory crowd as I have heard the expression "turd in the punchbowl" more times than I'd like to admit. ;) Changing that to pickle cleans it up nicely, thanks!

[cuccubear]

Yeah, "turd" is the word, but I've heard "pickle" used on occasion, and the alliteration makes it roll off your tongue. Since this is the "Food Sayings" thread, I figured the latter was more, uh - foodlike. ;-)

[alkapal]

i thank my parents that i never heard the term "turd."

~~~
but speaking of pickles, the harris teeter brand refrigerated dill pickle halves are quite nice and very crunchy.

[cuccubear]

speaking *more* of pickles...you'll like this...

http://www.mcphee.com/shop/products/P...

[jumpingmonk]

"I'm not trying to hang noodles on your ears"

Accoding to a Smithsonian article I read, the literal translation of a Russian aphorism that literally mean "I'm not trying to fool you"

[alkapal]

how history would have been changed had that been introduced to the world earlier. the pickle-pult indeed.

[amandakeith]

not sure if it is a food saying but my parents would guilt us into eating foods we didn't like by saying " don't you know there are kids in other countries that would love to eat this dinner." we would respond by saying " I bet we could get some good air mile points " lol

[buttertart]

Another family one: when guests invited or not are at dinner, and there may not be quite enough to go around: "FHB" as code for "family hold back", i.e. you kids keep your mitts off until the guests are served.

[cuccubear]

Dare I say it? This was a rhyme from childhood. I don’t where it came from or who came up with it. It’s vaguely scatological, but I have my fingers crossed it will survive the censors...I think you can figure it out. Anyone else heard this?

Milk, Milk
Lemonade
Around the corner, fudge is made.

[kattyeyes]

Yup, it ends with Tootsie Roll. HA HA HA! We were sick little children, weren't we?! ;)

[cuccubear]

Ah Tootsie Roll, that's right - sheesh :-) Sick, sick little kids! heehee

[jchamberlain]

My two favorite Guy Fietti saying are:
"Love peace and taco grease"
"Winner, winner, chicken dinner"

[carswell]

A saying that that's been told to at least four generations of kids in my family: Small firsts, happy seconds.

[Cookie Baker]

Going bananas

[morwen]

"How can you have any pudding if you don't eat your meat?" -Pink Floyd

[thinkgarnish.com]

Oh I wish I had found this thread a couple of months ago when I was making luncheon invitations and wanted each one to have common sayings related to food! Anyway, the one we used was "Knowledge is the food of the soul". Not totally food related, but since it was for a teacher luncheon thought it worked well! I shall save these amazing ones for the next time around.

[Passadumkeg]

First, welcome to Chowhound. Second, teaching is the oldest profession; after all, where did the other "oldest profession" learn how?

Passadumkeag, molding young minds since 1971

Mom, an English teacher, always said, "Knowledge is power", "Books are sacred" and "Is your homework done?"

[jchamberlain]

I was always told sales was the oldest profession because someone had to seal the deal.

[chaz]

"How do you like them apples?!"

[chaz]

"The early bird gets the worm".

[waytob]

"Daal me kuch kala hai" - literally - there's something black in the daal, but basically means - there's something not quite right here. Or like the English saying - smells kinda fishy

[kattyeyes]

L'appétit vient en mangeant.
Literally, the appetite comes while eating.
But really, "The more you have, the more you want."
Isn't that always the way?!

[shae1229]

"Beans Beans the musical fruit
The more you eat the more you toot
The more you toot the better you feel
So lift your leg and let it squeal!" - my best friend says that one.

"That really grates my cheese."
"That frosts my cookies"
"How do you like them apples?"

[jumpingmonk]

"What's that got to do with the price of kumquats in Argentina?"

Used by my mother when she is climing that something said is irrelevant to the matter at hand (I have no idea where she got it, or if she made it up herself)

[Scargod]

What does that have to do with the price of cheese on the moon? (from the Seventies?)

[LaurCar]

The Italian saying, "You can't melt cheese twice." I could not find the translation.

[danhole]

Visualize whirled peas.

[coney with everything]

Didn't see this one: Il faut cassez les oeufs pour faire une omelette.

[Scargod]

"Pass the hand grenade!" This is drink related. I bought a bottle of Blanton's Whiskey. I found it funny when I was told this by the old fart salesman. The bottle has a unique shape; being round and squatty, with a faceted suface. I was told it was used as a prop in a Monty Pithon skit. It's is some powerful, smooth stuff so it's a bit like a double entendre.

[bakersdelight]

From "The Rubaiyat" by Omar Khayyam (verse XII), written in the 12th century:

"A jug of wine, a loaf of bread, and thou."

http://classics.mit.edu/Khayyam/rubai...

[cocktailqueen77]

Loved reading through these...a couple of my own...

Cool as a cucumber

Born with a silver spoon (utensil/foodie related)

Apple of their eye

I hope those might take the cake!!

[Scargod]

"Need no teef to eat my beef".
Sign at "House Park Bar-B-Que" - Austin, Texas (est. 1943).

"If you haven't any teeth, up above, or beneath,
You can gum it with your gummy gum gums". Stan Frieburg

[Passadumkeg]

Fine as frog's hair,
You old lard but!

[Scargod]

Lick me till Ice cream!

[Passadumkeg]

In Heaven there is no Beer, That's Why we Drink it Here.
Polish Polka

[jcattles]

That's the Beer Song!!

In heaven there is no beer (no beer)
That's why we drink it here (right here)
And when we're all gone from here
All our friends will be drinking all our beer

Our local university band goes to each bar the night before a game and plays this. During games, the only song the crowd sings louder is Ragtime Cowboy Joe. (University of Wyoming)

[chaz]

Oh, and...
3. My teeth are floating.

[chaz]

1. The early bird gets the worm.
2. Scuse me. I have to go where the king goes afoot.

[Veggo]

The early bird may get the worm, but it's the SECOND mouse that gets the cheese.

[Sam Fujisaka]

The early worm gets eaten by the bird.

[FoodFuser]

But in the end, the worms get the bird, both mice, and the cheese.

[FoodFuser]

In the spirit of posthumous tribute to Sam, I wish we had played and repartee'd more with this thread. Maybe we did, and got out of line to the point of needing moderation... but that guy was one hell of a fencer. May he rest with sharpened rapier.

[alkapal]

sad, isn't it?

[baltoellen]

Well, this thread is only 2.5 years old, there's still time for a tribute.

[kattyeyes]

Join us here:
http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/7014...

[Servorg]

She was part of that tribute thread to Sam (I checked when the post above showed up).

[kattyeyes]

There are tributes to Sam all over this board and, very honestly, that makes this kat very happy. Thanks, Servorg.

[baltoellen]

Oh, and sadly I didn't realize that FoodFuser was responding to an old Sam post. I hope my above post wasn't misunderstood. (It was supposed to be about infusing the thread with more of his spirit. That's all.)

[kattyeyes]

Not at all! :) There is plenty of Sam spirit to go around. I say keep it comin'! I wish I had a relevant food saying to add on his behalf.

[operagirl]

Never one to fish for compliments, I think Sam would still be happy to know that we all remember him so fondly!

[BerkshireTsarina]

Two practical ones:
Don't save on kishkeh money (kishkeh=intestines)
and
When in doubt, throw it out.

[Alacrity59]

My father had a couple.
"Hunger makes the best sauce."
"My stomach thinks my throat is cut."

[jcattles]

sufferin succatash

It's easier than nailing jello to a tree

[KevinB]

Recipe for a successful life: Eat breakfast like a king, lunch like a prince, and dinner like a pauper.

"He was a brave man who first ate an oyster"

(Dedicating a new home): Here is bread so you will never know hunger, salt so you will always have flavour, and wine so you will always know joy.

[Scargod]

Great sufferin' catfish!
Root, hog, or die...
I'm waitin' on you like one pig waits on another!

I'll eat anything that's not movin' and doesn't smell bad. (my saying, AFAIK)

[SharaMcG]

Shakespeare on food:

"Revenge is a dish that tastes best cold"
"The funeral meats doth coldly furnish the marriage table" (this one is stated by Hamlet who is implying that his mother married his uncle so soon after his father died (yes, something was rotten in the state of Denmark!), that they could use the food from his father's wake for his mother's wedding reception. Gotta love that bard!

[buttertart]

Man, you are the first person ever to mention one of my dear departed dad's favorites - abbreviated to "like one pig waits for another". Thanks for the blast from the past (are you by any chance from soutwestern Ontario, Canada?).

[Scargod]

Nope. Born in Texas, from farming stock/hard-working people who knew pigs.
My mom taught me a lot, including that and how to cook; she died last year at 92. Thanks

[Passadumkeg]

The Chinese use everything from the pig except the squeal and Henry Ford uses that.
Quasi Chinese proverb:
Get drunk and be happy for 3 days.
Cook a pig and be happy for a week.
Get married and be happy for 2 years.
But plant a garden and be happy for life.

[Scargod]

Reminds me of a W. C. Fields line: I had a friend who made non-skid tires out of octopus tenacles; horrible thing to do to an animal! .... Wish I hada thought of it!

[alkapal]

"I'm waitin' on you like one pig waits on another!"

used regularly at family food fests! thanks for reminding me, scargod.

[Passadumkeg]

Mom: Chicken today, feathers tomorrow.
Dad: (upon finding about the cancer that killed him) If God gives you lemons, make Margaritas and enjoy it while you can.
Dad's dad: The church is near the, but the road is icy, the tavern is far, but I'll walk carefully.
Mom's dad. You'll never get drunk on another man's vodka.
Maine: Nummah than a f*%#kin' hake.
W/ regarding the attitude of "natives" vs "transplants" in Maine: Just because a cat has kittens in the oven, doesn't make 'em biscuits.
Modern Medicine: A banana a day keeps the cardiologist away.
A 2 fisted drinker.
Childhood rhyme:
Great big gobs of gooey grimey monkey meat,
Tiny weeney birdy feet,
All wrapped up in all purpose porpoise pus
And eaten w/o a spoon.

Gotta go get a life....

[meatn3]

Our version was:

Great big globs of greasy grimey gophers guts,
Mutilated monkey meat
Itsy bitsy birdies feet
All these things are very very good to eat
Oops I forgot my spoon!

Then you burst into peals of laughter, giddy with the grossness.

[alkapal]

ah...yes....the venerable greasy grimy gopher guts. ;-)). we had those in fort myers, too.

[buttertart]

And in London, Ont. And me without my spoon.

[jumpingmonk]

Well If we are adding songs how about "Mrs. Murphy's Chowder"

http://www.kididdles.com/lyrics/m012.html

There was also a song I remember form my childhood (in much the same vein as "Gopher guts" called "Chicken lips and lizard hips" (written and sung to my astonshiment, by Bruce Springsteen
)http://www.lyricsfreak.com/b/bruce+sp...

[calliope_nh]

Ours was similar:
Great green globs of greasy grimy gopher guts
Mutilated money meat
Tiny little birdy feet
French fired eyeballs rolling down the dirty street
I wish I had my fork

[filth]

WHO CUT THE CHEESE?

[alkapal]

speaking of cutting the cheese, (somehat ot): http://www.chowhound.com/topics/453097

my aunt billie's fave: "a second on the lips, a lifetime on the hips."

[jchamberlain]

Not me but did you lick the knife?

[maddogg280]

Hungry like the wolf...
- Duran Duran

What can I say? I'm an 80's chick.

[csweeny]

excuse if these have been mentioned but,

cool beans
and
beef, it's whats for dinner

[roxlet]

Another Italian saying:
Che non e zuppa, e pane bagnato. (If it's not soup, it's wet bread.)

[meatn3]

My ex-BIL (a big & very fast eater) always said:
There are two kinds of eaters, the quick and the hungry!

[grayelf]

The refined Chowhound, who has eaten enough after a delightful repast:

"Thank you, I've had an elegant sufficiency."

The Grayelf-type CH, who has stuffed herself silly on great food and can't eat another bite:

Carry I straight, don't bend I."

(both courtesy of my old friend Snooze, latter used much more often than former)

[cheesepowder]

like two peas in a pod
no use crying over spilt milk
(when referring to fog) as thick as pea soup
that's a fine kettle of fish

[vvvindaloo]

Sicilians have some terrific (albeit cynical) sayings involving food. Roughly translated:
better an egg today than the chicken tomorrow
a man who marries is happy for a day; a man who butchers a pig is happy for a year.

[miranda]

Give a man a fish and feed him for a day.....teach a man to fish and feed him for life.
The apple doesn't fall far from the tree
Life is just a bowl of cherries
Butter wouldn't melt in her mouth
She's so tough she chews nails and spits rust
Popeye says I yam what I yam
If life gives you lemons ...make lemonade
How about the 2 Arabs sitting under a tree eating their dates.....Miranda

[Davwud]

If life gives you lemons, find someone who's life has given them vodka and have a party.

Give a man a beer and he'll drink for an hour. Teach him where the fridge is and he'll drink all night.

Life is like a box of chocolates.

If you're worried about getting a rotten apple, don't pick from barrel, go straight to the tree.

DT

[vvvindaloo]

Not for all the tea in China!

A moment on the lips, forever on the hips.

And let's not forget the recent instant classic: I drink your milkshake!

[BigBelt]

"She has a butter face"

Everything is good but-her face.

[honcha]

Oh, and one we made up yesterday after finding our produce guy dropped some limes in the parking lot:

When life gives you limes, make mojitos!

[honcha]

From a Creole cookbook:

Eat, eat. You have to have strength to worry.

others I remember from books over the years:

He who cooks a potato without an onion has no soul.

Eating yellow food makes people happy.

And the one about ful mudammes - breakfast for a rich man, lunch for a laborer, dinner for a pauper.

[Veggo]

said about the anal-compulsive who are obsessed with irrelevant detail:

"he can pick the flea shit out of the pepper"

[happybellynh]

Or, in my dad's vernacular: somthing can be "harder than picking fly poop out of pepper with boxing gloves on."

[amethiste]

I have also heard "The best thing since brown n serve rolls"
"Not for all the tea in China"

[baltoellen]

I don't remember if this has been mentioned, but "the best thing since sliced bread." And, I'm on some international hosting sites, and do have the motto, "guests, like fish, stink after three days!"

[Cinnamom]

the big cheese
she dropped him like a hot potato
candy is dandy...
know what I mean, jelly bean?

[Jen_in_NJ]

My grandfather used to say this "prayer" before dinner:

"The Father, Son and Holy Ghost..
..Who ever eats the fastest, gets the most"

Sitting around a dinner table of 13, I think my brothers took this to heart!

[Veggo]

Here's a fun Q&A to engage a six year old. One of my youthful memories with a neat grandmother.

Q: What kind of a noise annoys an oyster?

little kid: I don't know

A: A noisy noise annoys an oyster.

[Ronnie Riffs]

How about when people are being comparative..It's all just apples and oranges? and
My gran used to say after 3 days ,company smells like fish

[chef chicklet]

Or house guest start to smell after three days, just like fish.
My Dad's favorite saying.
Easy Peasy.

[Non Cognomina]

What's that got to do with the price of bananas?

Happy as a clam at high tide.

When life is bad and getting worse, keep a cookie in your purse.

[vvvindaloo]

I always heard it: What's that got to do with the price of rice?

[hilltowner]

For me it was: What's that got to do with the price of tea in China?

Funny, interesting thread.

[kubasd]

what's that got to do with the price of apples in spain?

[jodymaryk]

I have no idea where he heard it but my father who is 86 now would respond when you asked him if he was hungry "No thanks, I had a banana on the train".

This is a great thread! So much fun to read. Thanks everyone!

[Sam Fujisaka]

The early worm gets eaten by the bird.

Anything with red grease squirting out of it has to be good (A Bourdain).

[Veggo]

The early bird may get the worm, but it's the SECOND mouse that gets the cheese :)

[Davwud]

An easy fly ball is said to be "A can of corn."

DT

[Melanie]

Candy is dandy but liquor is quicker.

[ArikaDawn]

La cuisine, c'est quand les choses ont le goût de ce qu'elles sont.
or
Fine cooking is when the things you have cooked taste as they are.
Curnonsky

[amazinc]

from a wonderful Guy Clark song called "Texas Cookin'"...
Oh, Mama, Ain't that Texas cookin' somethin'?
Oh, Mama, Stop your belly and backbone from bumpin".
Oh, Mama, Ain't that Texas cookin' good?
Eat it every day, if I could.

[SeaSide Tomato]

"Why devil my eggs!" -- An exclamation of ridiculous delight or surprise used around Easter at SeaSide.

Of course there's always "Turkey Lurkey" as a greeting or sign off at Thanksgiving and "Figgy Pudding" for same at Christmas.

These may all be too quirky to be considered in general parlance, but why not share and start a trend? Enjoy!

[fruglescot]

Another Yiddish saying ......when the child indicated to the parent that they were dropping out of school.............................................

"SO LIE IN YOUR GRAVE MAKING BAGELS"

[bigos70]

My personal favourite, which I saw once in a magazine article:

Life is just a break between meals.

[luckyfatima]

In Urdu/Hindi:

Kuch daal mein kala hai. it means there is something black in the daal (lentils), means that there is something fishy or suspicious about a situation.

[JiyoHappy]

Here are a few more in Hindi:
Thotha chana baaje ghanna

Thotha= hollow inside
chana= (seed of) a chickpea
baaje=makes noise
ghanna=too much

A vain (hollow, unsophisticated, useless) person is the noisiest one around

Oont ke muh mein jeera

Oont = camel
muh = mouth
mein = inside
jeera = one seed of cumin

(something or someone) is as insignificant ( or as uninfluential) as a seed of cumin in a camel's mouth

Ek to karela, usper neem chada
Karela = bitter gourd ( an asian cucurbit, very seriously bitter)
usper = on top of
neem = neem (another seriously bitter plant, a few notches above bitter gourd )
chada = surface coated onto..

This describes a person (or idea) which is as poisonous and bitter as a bitter-gourd coated with neem

[Rasam]

Those are great, Jiyohappy! Here are some more in Hindi:

1. Til ka taad banaana (making a log out of a sesame seed; i.e. making a mountain out of a molehill).

2. Naakon chane chabvaana (to force someone to chew chickpeas with their nose; i.e. to force someone to do something very difficult, or to defeat them thoroughly).

3. Ghar ki murgi daal baraabar (chicken eaten at home is valued only as daal; i.e. something familiar at home is not valued as it should be).

4. Kanjoos makkhichoos (a very stingy person, who will suck a fly that landed in his food rather than waste the food).

There are lots more, but these for now..... :)

Rasam

[JiyoHappy]

An apple a day keeps the doctor away
If the doctor is handsome, keep the apple away

[ipsedixit]

Old Chinese saying ...

"Clean your rice bowl or you'll end up marrying a speckled-faced spouse"

[It loses its glibness factor in the translation.]

[cayjohan]

I've seen it quoted by Emily Hahn (Time-Life "Foods of the World:China) that "for every grain left in the bowl, children are told, there will be a pockmark on the face of their future spouses." I guess we're mostly past smallpox epidemics, but I love the leverage that parents use to get kids to eat. (Mostly.)
Cay

[chef chicklet]

that's the way I remember it (reading Amy Tan). Love the way how almost every culture has a way to pass down a guilt trip about food!
My French-Catholic mother..."Jesus, Mary and Joseph & all the saints in heaven." as she crossed herself when I refused to drink milk or eat mashed potatoes.
Absolutely love them now. Oh dear.

[kattyeyes]

HA HA! My Aunt Sandra (Sicilian & Catholic) to this day invokes, "Jesus, Mary and Joseph!" when something isn't going right. When I was a kid, I used to think, "Man, all three of them--this must really be trouble, whatever it is!"

Speaking of Amy Tan, I wish I could remember the exact line from the Joy Luck Club about how the mother served the best quality (fish? whatever it was?) to company, or how she would denigrate her own cooking, ("It's not seasoned enough.") but it was really an opening for guests to compliment her...and her son-in-law completely missed the cue and said it was fine when you added soy sauce...open mouth, insert foot on his part. Maybe someone has the book or has a better memory than I do.

[buttertart]

That's especially amusing if you know Chinese home cooks of the mother's stripe. The expression used when complimented is "it's just home cooking, extremely simple" (dou shi jia chang cai, jiandan de hen) - you always denigrate your own cooking because to do otherwise would be too prideful. This even if what is in front of you is the most amazing feast you could imagine.

[chef chicklet]

I love Amy Tan! I wish she would of included some of the recipes!

Yes and I do remember that line, he completely blew it. But unfair! The guy never had a chance!

[jchamberlain]

I saw in another board about manners that if you sing at the table you'll marry an ugly spouse.

[thinks too much]

"I love you as bread loves salt" - Fairy Tale

"A nickel will get you on the subway, but garlic will get you a seat" Yiddish Proverb

"Since Eve ate the apple, much depends upon dinner" Byron

"Love is sweet, but with bread it's better." - Yiddish proverb

"Comfort me with apples" - Song of Solomon

Ok, so I have a thing for apples.

[RicRios]

"Love is sweet, but with bread it's better."

This reminded me of another Yiddish classic:

"Tzures mit yoikh is besser als tzures ohn yoikh" ("Tzures with soup are better than tzures without soup")

Sorry, don't know an easy translation for "Tzures" .

[Servorg]

Suffering or maybe toubles

[Sherri]

Leo Rosten's THE JOYS OF YIDDISH translates it as: troubles, woes, worries, suffering.

[RicRios]

Yeah, wikipedia defines it also as troubles.
Problem is, tzures ( tzuris, tsuris ) is , how can I put it, a much more refined way of suffering, kind of something reserved for the truly connoisseur of suffering.
On the opposite end of the spectrum, it's like saying that truffles are food.

But we're branching out here.
I hope this won't incur the wrath of the Gatekeepers.

[rfneid]

Never put a name on something you might have to eat.

[buttertart]

From Turkish friends - said of something that looks/smells especially appealing - "I don't want to eat it, I just want to lie down beside it."
(I have a feeling the translation might be a bit bowdlerized.)

[redroses]

i wouldnt kick him out of bed for eating crackers!

[redroses]

you can catch more bees with honey than with vinegar

why buy the cow when you get the milk for free? - my bubbie

[RicRios]

I see from posts above foreign languages are OK.
Here goes my favorite Italian, which I'll leave untranslated:
"Mangia bene, caga forte, e non temere la morte."

[Servorg]

One of my grandfather's (my mom's dad) favorite sayings:

"I'd rather feed 3 men who said they were hungry than one man who said he wasn't."

[Kathleen M]

I've always liked "I wouldn't kick him out of bed for eating crackers."

[KaimukiMan]

it's like apples and oranges
easy as cherry pie (or apple pie depending on who says it)
a voice like butter
peaches and cream complexion

[fruglescot]

How about adding "It's A Piece of Cake"

[dogfaceboy]

My grandfather got this joke from Readers' Digest: You can mash potatoes, but you can't pea soup.

I don't know if the pot has called the kettle black yet, but that's an aphorism with kitchen equipment.

Also:
apple of my eye, top banana, piece of cake, cakewalk, takes the cake, easy as pie.

Sorry, but I didn't sift through the list before posting. (Sift through—get it?)

[baltoellen]

That's fine! None of those have been mentioned yet!

These are all great, everyone, btw!

[Davwud]

"You can tune a piano but you can't tune a fish."

DT

[Axalady]

"The way to a man's heart is through his stomach."

Would that qualify as a food saying?

[baltoellen]

It counts for me, but I've never found that saying to be the least bit true!

[linguafood]

We have a similar saying in German "Liebe geht durch den Magen".

"Salz in der Suppe" -- the salt in the soup aka something being essential, or making it interesting (which, I agree, is what salt does).

"Hast Du Tomaten auf den Augen?" ('Do you have tomatoes on your eyes?' aka are you $%&#ing blind)

And a classic Latin one: "Plenus venter non studet libenter" -- a full stomach does not like to study.

[RicRios]

Now, speaking German ...

"Nach dem essen solst du ruhen, oder tausend schritte tuen"
( After a meal you should rest, or walk a thousand steps )

[linguafood]

"Nach dem essen sollst Du rauchen, oder einen Mann gebrauchen" (The adult version) ;-D

[RicRios]

I assume it still legit if substituting "Mann" with "Mädchen" ... ?

[linguafood]

Well, the recreational benefit should probably amount to the same *g*, but the original saying was, of course "eine FRAU gebrauchen"... and would these days be frowned upon in more p.c. circles. That is, not around me ;-P

[kimmer1850]

Actually, the best way to a man's heart is through the second and third ribs on a slight upward angle!!!

[alkapal]

ouch!

[Davwud]

A person can be "Not worth their salt."

Perhaps from a "Salty remark."

Or being "Slow as molasses."

There's also, "An army marches on it's stomach."

DT

[Non Cognomina]

Slow as molasses up a hill in January.

[fruglescot]

If you're having a tryst with the spouse of a medical practitioner...........
Consider that................................................."An Apple A Day
Keeps the Doctor Away"
...Don Juan?

[im_nomad]

haha Veggo...my grandmother used to say that such a person could eat turnips through a picket fence or that she would'n't let said person in her cabbage garden.

"my belly is taking bites out of my back"

i'm probably going to get in trouble for these....and maybe they're a local thing but:
"i'm so hungry i could chew the arse off a skunk" or worse
"i'm so hungry i could eat the lamb of Jesus and snap at the sheep".

[Davwud]

I'm so hungry I could eat a horse.

DT

[Veggo]

said about one sorely in need of orthodontics:

"he could eat an apple through a chain link fence"

[blanthorpe]

'That piece of halibut was good enough for Jehovah.

[kubasd]

yesssss!!! My favorite movie

[monavano]

This is embarassing, but...
Bean, beans, they're good for your heart
The more you eat, the more you fart
The more you fart, the better you feel
So eat your beans at every meal

And then there's "Whoo! that ________ was so good, it makes you want to slap yo' Mama!"

[happybellynh]

In my house growing up, it was ...

Bean, beans, the musical fruit,
the more you eat, the more you toot,
the more you toot, the better you feel,
so let's have beans at every meal.

[breadbox]

Pinto beans, good for the heart.
The more you eat, the more you fart.
.....author unknown

[justagthing]

Beans, beans, the wonderful fruit,
the more you eat, the more you toot,
the more you toot, the better you poop,
beans, beans, the wonderful fruit.

Not sure where it is from, but something we use to say as kids.

[alkapal]

from a memorable date when i was i college, after my trip to the salad bar: "Boy, you sure wolfed that down!"
first and last date, may i add? ;-)

[PDeveaux]

My dad always said at the dinner table "root hog or die poor"

[fruglescot]

Man can not live on bread alone.

[baltoellen]

This thread is the best thing since sliced bread!

[operagirl]

Alright, here's my stream of consciousness . . .

The proof is in the pudding.

When life gives you lemons, make lemonade.

Life is like a box of chocolates, you never know what you're gonna get.

The pot calling the teakettle black.

Small potatoes.

How do you like dem apples?

Easy as pie.

That's all I can think of at the moment . . . hope those cut the mustard!

[baltoellen]

These all are so great. Yes, cuts the mustard, and the D Parker poem on martinis sure in easier to swallow than the one of suicide!

[alkapal]

interesting about "eat,drink and be merry"....
http://www.woodbrook.org/sermons/1998...

[fruglescot]

Care to give it one more try Baltoellen?

[Candy]

Because of this weird system my answer to the Dorothy Parker quotesd was posted where it does not make much sense. She also said "Eternity is 2 people and a ham"

[jchamberlain]

Don't dip in the mustard if you can't ketchup!

[foodwich]

eat, drink and be merry for tomorrow we ... didnt want to insert that. feeling optimistic today.

[Laughing Goddess]

And never forget the wonderful Dorothy Parker's poem about martinis:

"I'll have one martini,
two at the most,
after three I'm under the table,
after four I'm under the host."

[Tay]

I love that!

[RicRios]

"Eat __(insert your favorite food here)__ for 120 years, you'll live a long life".

[dibob817]

got the green apple 2 step

[beevod]

What is the point of having cake if you can't eat it?

[jchamberlain]

I think the quote is often mis used, its supposed to be you can't eat your cake and have it too.

[KaimukiMan]

and his belly shook like a bowl full of jelly...

merry christmas everyone

[wayne keyser]

"Never trust a skinny cook."

[ArikaDawn]

Not necessarily pertaining to food, but including food...
"I love __(insert whatever you love emphatically)___ like a fat kid loves cake!"
It's probably not PC, but it gets the point across =)

[carswell]

Purportedly a Vietnamese saying (told to me by a Vietnamese): The four secrets to happiness in life: good sleep, good sex, good food and good s**t.

[Apple.at.chin.]

As my granny used to say...
Great gobs of persimmon tree grease!
and
Kiss my grits!

[diablo]

"An apple a day keeps the doctor away"--old proverb

"Make sure it's organic or the pesticide load will kill you"--diablo's mom :)

[dolores]

Over the teeth, through the gums, look out stomach here it comes.

[jchamberlain]

I use this one every morning when I am downing my fiber juice in front of my kids.

[cayjohan]

Sorry, one more B. Klibanism: "An apple every 8 hours keeps three doctors away."

[lgss]

I've seen a get well card that on the front says:
"An apple a day keeps the doctor away...
(and on the inside): "if you throw well and have good aim."

[lgss]

And as the people of Boston discovered, molasses isn't all that slow...
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Boston_M...

[Sam Fujisaka]

"La panza llena, el corazon contento" ("The belly full, the heart is content").

"Ang matandang kalabaw gustong ang batang pasto" ("The old carabao likes young grass" although this refers more to male-female relationships).

"My mom said don't eat anything bigger than your head"--Anthony Bourdain

[cayjohan]

Ooooh...that's a B. Kliban cartoon. Funny stuff.

[cayjohan]

My grandmother's family (French/Ojibwe) always used to say: "Pea soup and Johnny cake makes Frenchman's belly ache."

Not a saying, but rather a musical phrase: my other grandmother had a butter churning song in dialect Finnish that I can't for the life of me remember, but she would sing in in fond memory of churning. I think there are a lot of churning songs out there, historically.

[Tay]

"Pity the poor Pelican
His beak holds more than his belly can"

Not quite the same thing, but I thought I'd throw it in anyway :-}

[Sherri]

My grandfather used to recite:
"An amazing bird is the pelican
His beak can hold more than his belly can
Food for a week
He can hold in his beak
And I don't know how-in-the-hell-he-can"!

[smartie]

I am so hungry I could eat a horse.

Eating like a pig.

Drink like a fish

[baltoellen]

My uncle was fond of saying: She smokes like a fish!

[smartie]

We are what we eat.

[baltoellen]

I've never really understood that one. I guess I always thought that eating a carrot would be be tall, think, and, well, orange. (I wouldn't mind the first two, but the third may be hard to live with!)

[kandagawa]

I believe it's a bastardization of a quote from Anthelme Brillat-Savarin: "Dis-moi ce que tu manges, je te dirai ce que tu es." [Tell me what you eat and I will tell you what you are].

[coney with everything]

To whom do we attribute "Il faut cassez les oeufs pour faire une omelette?"

[Paulustrious]

Napoleon. He wasn't one for coddling.

[buttertart]

Hey, that reminded me. Identify: "A revolution is not a dinner party".

[alkapal]

"love and death" -- by woody allen? that's what i first thought. but unfortunately it is mao tse-tung (screw the zedong), and that means it is simply "death."

~~~~~
but as to napoleons, and "love and death"

>>>It should have more cream
between the crust and no raisins.

- But at our last meeting you said raisins.
- No!

If this pastry is to bear my name,
it must be richer! More cream.

- Yes, but is there time?
- Very little.

My spies tell me
that my illustrious British enemy
is working on a new meat recipe
which he plans to call Beef Wellington.

It will never get off the ground.

We must develop the Napoleon
before he develops Beef Wellington.

The future of Europe
hangs in the balance.

--------<<<<<<<<<<< http://www.script-o-rama.com/movie_sc...

[buttertart]

Brilliant, alkapal chérie! (i'll take a Napoleon over a Wellington any day). I'm surprised no one else cjhimed in on it being Mao, guess the '60s are but a distant - or a nonexistent - memory .

[Servorg]

"I'm surprised no one else cjhimed in on it being Mao..."

Google has taken all the sport out of such games...

[buttertart]

True, and spellcheck or typocheck doesn't exist on CH, apparently! ;-)

[Servorg]

I figured you were simply using the "Dutch" spelling for chimed so I didn't bother changing it when I picked up the quote... ;-D>

[buttertart]

That was good of you, I abhor spelling/typo and grammar mistakes in general and was despondent when I saw it in your quote. Hi Sam ;-)

[Paulustrious]

Too true. I referred and then deferred.

T'other I knew.
Thus didn't eschew.

[Servorg]

I referred my dog to a new groomer, and when he came home totally deferred he was so mad that he eschewed my brand new leather boots... ;-D>

[alkapal]

i referred my dog to a new groomer
he said he'd clean up my "boomer."
cut and snip he did fine
without so much as a whine
so his deferral is not just a rumor.

[alkapal]

.

[buttertart]

That wasn't about the Alkapal, I'm sure.

[Servorg]

Well, the film by Woody was titled "Love and Death" and it has some memorable lines such as when the Countess told Woody's character Boris that he was the greatest lover she had ever had and Boris/Woody replied "I practice a lot when I'm alone."

[cuccubear]

Not to mention the bowl of sleet he and Diane Keaton have for dessert.

[alkapal]

servorg, i don't know why you're telling me the name of the film by woody allen? i first referenced it upthread on july 20.

and yes, as with all his films, he has some terrific one-liners.

[kattyeyes]

"Jew eat? JEW eat?" (Annie Hall)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DaPBhx...

[alkapal]

annie hall has got to be one of the best films EVER.

[Servorg]

I think I was simply pointing out (although the content from the post I replied to is now gone for some reason?) that using Google to get the author of a quote won't work like it did for the Mao quote, when what one is Googling is not a quote, but rather a film title.

[alkapal]

my point is, who needed to google a film title? i mentioned the film title. i was guessing the source of the quote, not asking whether woody allen wrote love and death. i am a woody allen fan. http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/4721...

i'm still not getting it, but there is not really any point. let's never mind.

maybe we should start a "woody allen and food sayings" thread, huh?

[Servorg]

Hell, at this point I can't recall what my point was... ;-D> But what happened to the content of your post that I replied to? Did you take it out? Reading that may have helped me find out what I was talking about - or not... lol

[alkapal]

it was a post about googling. therein i made the point that you could find the mao tse-tung (again, screw zedong) quote, but not something that *could've been* the source, namely allen's "love and death."

it was just a (self-created) pissing match that i should've bowed out of... and thus my own self-deletion. maybe that makes sense... or not.

anyhoo, peace, servorg. may the force be with you, ;-).

[Servorg]

Live long and prosper (so you can go out to dinner even more often!)... ;-D>

[kattyeyes]

Do it--I'll be there. ;)

[foodwich]

back in 5th grade home economics had a teacher who loved to say;
eat to live, dont live to eat. sort of defeats the chowhound purpose.

[baltoellen]

It sure does! In fact, it runs counter to most CH's stated credos!

[DockPotato]

"Save your fork, Prince, there's pie for dessert."

In 1860 Albert Edward, Prince of Wales, later King Edward VII, arrived in Canada to lay the cornerstone for our first parliamentary building and to tour Upper Canada.

This friendly and useful advice was supposedly rendered to the Crown Prince by an Ottawa Valley lumberjack over dinner in the cookhouse at a camp the prince was visiting.

[AngelSanctuary]

What kinda home economics teacher is that?!?!

[buttertart]

A very typical one when I was growing up. The recipes taught were enough to make the culinarily disinclined swear off cooking forever!