482686 Thu Jan 24 13:46:19 -0800 2008 42 33 Food Media and News 0 3329027 Excellent article from John Kessler calling for the end of the word "foodie": http://www.ajc.com/living/content/eveningedge/stories/2008/01/22/kessler.html Thu Jan 24 13:46:20 -0800 2008 15217 gini 1 3329070 OK, love his word "barfatronic" but I take umbrage at his comment re: a replacement for the word as it relates to "chowhound": "The pleasing assonance of the word "chowhound" keeps it relevant, but it properly has a narrow definition. Chowhounds troll Buford Highway for brain tacos; they don't spend $95 for chef's tasting menus. A foodie does both." Since WHEN does a chowhound not spend $95 for a chef tasting menu, if it's the best tasting thing out there? Harrumph. Thu Jan 24 13:56:41 -0800 2008 3329027 10532 LindaWhit 1 3332059 Haha! Oh my goodness, what an a hilariously geniusly written article! I have mixed feelings about the term foodie...but I honestly like it better than gastro or gastronome! Fri Jan 25 10:13:23 -0800 2008 3329027 112406 Chew on That 2 3332075 I enjoyed it too - though having been called a "foodie" twice this weekend, in a restaurant and then a food store, I have to say that I cringe at the word, though my sense was that it was meant as a compliment. I agree w/ Linda about the mischaracterization of a "chowhound". I guess I don't particuarly want to be called anything in this capacity - don't really see why we need a label for loving food in the first place. Hadn't heard the "gastro" term before. Fri Jan 25 10:17:17 -0800 2008 3332059 10985 MMRuth 3 3332205 Well, as someone who associates the term gastro with a rather unpleasant viral illness, all I can say is "eeeewwwww". Fri Jan 25 10:41:43 -0800 2008 3332075 89969 moh 3 3332217 "Gastro" sounds like shorthand in a hospital for a disease situation... : ( Ruth Reichl has been quoted recently (in Time Out? am I losing my mind?) giving in about "foodie" - used to hate it, nobody's come up with a better term for the obsessed ETC I tend to agree - it's just not worth the energy to object Fri Jan 25 10:47:15 -0800 2008 3332075 11989 pitu 4 3332226 Obsessed? Me? Just joking! I think it is something about the "ie" at the end - as in groupie - that bothers me. Dumb, I know. But not to worry, I did let it roll off my back - just don't use the word myself. Fri Jan 25 10:49:36 -0800 2008 3332217 10985 MMRuth 5 3332418 It's like trekkie. I think they prefer to go by trekker? May we could start using fooder. :) Fri Jan 25 11:31:56 -0800 2008 3332226 15217 gini 6 3332522 What about foodista? :-) Fri Jan 25 12:00:09 -0800 2008 3332418 10532 LindaWhit 7 3332646 Utterly fantastic. I'm using it starting now! Fri Jan 25 12:26:24 -0800 2008 3332522 15217 gini 8 3332678 I can't take credit - read it on a blog somewhere. :-) But I *do* like it better than "foodie" - as MMRuth said, sounds too much like groupie (although foodista is reminiscent of "barista" which I know has gotten bashed as well.) Fri Jan 25 12:33:24 -0800 2008 3332646 10532 LindaWhit 9 3332952 and reminiscent of "fashionista" ;-) Fri Jan 25 13:34:37 -0800 2008 3332678 10985 MMRuth 10 3333021 Ewwww, forgot about that one. So maybe not so good. Fri Jan 25 13:45:54 -0800 2008 3332952 10532 LindaWhit 6 3333203 *crawls into a corner and shamefully cries over her bad choice of screennames* I swear, I picked it because I love food! Oy. Quick OT, as the "geeky" part of my name comes from being a Trekkie and a chemistry nerd. A while ago, I learned this: Trekkers are the old-school folks, the ones who started with the original series (Kirk, Spock, and the gang). Trekkies are the "babies," the ones who were hooked on The Next Generation and the subsequent series. So... if we're to apply this to 'Hounds, perhaps fooders were the ones who watched Julia Child and foodies are the ones who watch Rachael Ray? I really need to change my screenname. Fri Jan 25 14:30:35 -0800 2008 3332418 93901 geekyfoodie 7 3333842 "So... if we're to apply this to 'Hounds, perhaps fooders were the ones who watched Julia Child and foodies are the ones who watch Rachael Ray?" if that's the case, then the vast majority of us hounds are most definitely fooders, not foodies! Fri Jan 25 17:45:16 -0800 2008 3333203 103920 goodhealthgourmet 8 3333845 I have to say, my "conception" of foodies is that they don't watch Rachel Ray either. I think of foodies as maybe those who don't watch TV at all (grin). Sort of like those who say they only listen to NPR and don't have a TV. (For the record, I listen to NPR and watch crappy TV at times.) And to geekyfoodie - hope none of us are making you feel bad in any way!! All in good fun (well, except, don't call me a foodie - but I don't mind if you call yourself one ;-) ). Fri Jan 25 17:48:26 -0800 2008 3333842 10985 MMRuth 9 3334246 "So... if we're to apply this to 'Hounds, perhaps fooders were the ones who watched Julia Child and foodies are the ones who watch Rachael Ray?" I'm definitely saying this with an impish grin and a raised eyebrow. :) I do agree that "foodie" has overly pretentious and "poseur" connotations, but I see myself as a person who loves food and makes it a hobby. Everything is worth trying once and nothing is above or beneath me. My screenname was definitely one of those situations where I couldn't think of anything when I registered. Then, I read the FAQs and saw this: Isn't that the same thing as a foodie? No. Foodies eat what they're told. They lap up hype about the "hot" new restaurant/cookbook/ingredient. They'll explore unfamiliar neighborhoods, but only with their Zagat securely in hand. *tear* My posts would probably be a lot funnier if we were talking face to face (no worries, MMRuth, no feeling bad here!) and I could add some Jim Carrey-esque facial hyperbole to it. As for Kessler's suggestions, I think "gourmand" kind of fits me. I can be quite the glutton. :) How about changing "barfatronic" to "foodatronic"? No? Fri Jan 25 20:36:20 -0800 2008 3333845 93901 geekyfoodie 10 3356524 Wow. The most Leffian post I've read in a while. As for me, you can call me whatever you want, as long as you don't call me late for dinner. Fri Feb 01 12:49:20 -0800 2008 3334246 10702 condiment 9 3334604 Egad!!! I don't watch TV (although I have one for DVDs, but I don't have cable or rabbit ears, so not TV for me). And, double Egad, I listen to NPR! The no-tv thing came about from being a frugal grad student. I didn't want a cable bill, because I didn't want to be saddled with debt upon graduation. I did splurge on a cooking magazine subscription, though. Cheaper in the long run! Didn't miss the TV (and still don't), though I would've enjoyed the Saturday cooking shows on PBS. FWIW, the term "foodie" doesn't bother me. Nor do I find that it's a pretentious word. To me, it sounds overused perhaps, but hardly snob-aspiring. If anything, the pronunciation and spelling of the word smacks of a lo-fi vibe. Sat Jan 26 04:27:27 -0800 2008 3333845 131171 nofunlatte 10 3335299 Dto. I don't see anything wrong with the term foodie. It almost sounds cute. Maybe that's a reason to dislike it. But no, I don't find it pretentious sounding at all. Sat Jan 26 10:38:01 -0800 2008 3334604 116513 linguafood 4 3338174 Reichl was very, very early on the ``foodie'' tip - her very first article for the L.A. Times back in 1984 was on the phenomonon. Sun Jan 27 13:51:43 -0800 2008 3332217 10702 condiment 3 3335265 I favor refering to myself as a "fooThetan" which you can take either as a food loving Thetan or a foolish Scientologist. I know in MY case I am a food lover from an alien planet, when not being a gastroenteritushound. Sat Jan 26 10:19:08 -0800 2008 3332075 10059 ChinoWayne 1 3333953 This is a great and well written article. The term "foodie" has been nagging me for years. I liked the piece so much I emailed Kessler and told him so. Fri Jan 25 18:30:42 -0800 2008 3329027 110475 charlottecooks 2 3336311 Foodie vs Fooder .... interesting debate. It reminds me of those Star Trek fans out these, who are of two schools (Im told). One group calls themselves "Trekkies" the other "Trekkers" and one group is more "rabid" than another, but I cannot always remember which is which. I don't mind being called a "Foodie" - its a good word, although a bit overused, I suppose. I've been called a lot worse with regard to my cooking..... Sat Jan 26 17:25:08 -0800 2008 3333953 102895 Cheflambo 3 3336401 scroll up to "geekyfoodie's" posts - that's exactly how the discussion started... Sat Jan 26 18:08:46 -0800 2008 3336311 103920 goodhealthgourmet 4 3336421 I call myself a "food-oriented person." Sat Jan 26 18:16:29 -0800 2008 3336401 104856 Jocelyn P 5 3337129 I may adapt that to "food-obsessed person"! Sun Jan 27 06:12:35 -0800 2008 3336421 10985 MMRuth 6 3829278 Me too - how about FOP-ERS? Food Obsessed People... nah, never mind! Tue Jul 01 07:06:55 -0700 2008 3337129 10147 michele cindy 2 3337218 Maybe I'm showing my age? Even back in elmentary school I said that I was a gourmet when given the opportunity and a gourmand by inclination. I don't think gourmand is necessarily a negative term but do recognize it comes with some bagage - in a puritanical sense a gourmand may overindulge in the pleasures of the table but, this is quite subjective. Sun Jan 27 07:04:23 -0800 2008 3333953 136117 vonwotan 3 3337243 Another quick comment about "gourmand" - Escoffier started a society, La Ligue des Gourmands, of his friends who put on Dîners d'Epicure. In New York similar groups have been formed by chefs to celebrate food and some might consider them gourmands as the dishes are prepared without thought to dietary strictures. http://www.fondation-escoffier.org/escoffier/ Sun Jan 27 07:18:37 -0800 2008 3337218 136117 vonwotan 1 3352636 What a snob! Thu Jan 31 11:49:43 -0800 2008 3329027 161670 foodiechica 1 3829209 Here is my collection of names and terms for food loving people: Carnivalore: One who eats only hot dogs, chili dogs and greasy hamburgers. Chowhound: Like my Lab, Lucy, they will eat anything in sight if it smells good and is in easy reach. Chowsall: Antithesis of a real Chowhound. Doesn’t care what goes in the gullet. Often finishing food others have pushed aside because it was disgusting. Egalaeatarism: Belief that ALL food is equally good…Gourmandier: very specialized in French chow. Trained at Escoffier. Egalaeaterist: One who practices egalaeaterism. Foodista: One who fights for the food they love. Can be easily spotted wearing bandana and bandoliers full of eating utensils. Foodologist: Also known as a Food Geek. Usually thin and pale. Spends most of their time studying about food rather than eating it. Has very annoying habit of talking incessantly about food during meals. Gastrodome: Place where food fights and food eating contests are held. There you will find gastroliators and Foodistas. I hear "Iron Chefs" are building one.... Gastrognome: Diminutive foodie. Too small and elusive to be a gastroliator, but has been known to hide under McDonalds and sneak out to bite Chowsalls on the ankles. Gastroliators: People who feel fervently about their foods of choice. Often “snarky”, especially when they get a bone in their teeth. Have been known to be combative on Chow and often gets whacked by Moderators. Similar to Foodistas, but without the uniform garb. Gourmetro: Similar to "locavore", but eats only local, big city food. Often a food snob. Sometimes confused with those that only eat subs. Scargod: One who loves to grow, cook and eat good food. An omnivore. Tue Jul 01 06:39:31 -0700 2008 3329027 137946 Scargod 2 3829370 LOVE this list! Especially like "Gastrodome". ;-) Tue Jul 01 07:35:31 -0700 2008 3829209 10532 LindaWhit 3 3829400 i have to add one of my favorites - it's not a term for a food-loving person, but rather a condition that strikes many of us... Chowchild [a.k.a. "Food Baby"]: the contents of a temporarily swollen abdomen following overindulgence in too much of one's favorite chow. Tue Jul 01 07:45:42 -0700 2008 3829370 103920 goodhealthgourmet 4 3829508 You mean like, "you've got somethin' cookin' in the oven", Chowchild? Excessive food intercourse will lead to this condition. Tue Jul 01 08:12:59 -0700 2008 3829400 137946 Scargod 5 3829842 And anyone who partakes of what's on a groaning Thanksgiving dinner table certainly knows what "excessive food intercourse" is. "Food Baby" is a perfect term for it. Two very good adds. :-) Tue Jul 01 09:56:12 -0700 2008 3829508 10532 LindaWhit 1 3829270 Foo%*# should be banned from Chowhound. I can't even type it it makes me cringe so much. I'd rather see the word F&@K then Foo%*# !!! P.S. I do not mean to alienate anyone who uses it here, but it's just like nails over a chalkboard for me... Tue Jul 01 07:03:22 -0700 2008 3329027 10147 michele cindy 1 3829356 Pho king hell. Tue Jul 01 07:30:22 -0700 2008 3329027 36661 Sam Fujisaka 2 3829472 sam, you so funny! Tue Jul 01 08:05:07 -0700 2008 3829356 19185 budlit 2 3830497 Potty mouth. '-) Tue Jul 01 12:52:22 -0700 2008 3829356 112096 Caroline1 1 3830050 Love that guy. Thanks for the link. Tue Jul 01 10:56:10 -0700 2008 3329027 11106 tatamagouche 2 3830825 Avast! Food ho, ye grub-lubbers! Tue Jul 01 14:14:25 -0700 2008 3830050 156941 dingey 1 3831561 When I overheard a secretary in the office mention that she's a foodie, and in the same breath tout the culinary prowess of Red Lobster, I knew it was time to retire the term. Tue Jul 01 18:21:32 -0700 2008 3329027 203926 WineAboutIt