The food vocabulary: enough with the advocado nonsense
Adeline loves food, lots of it and often, both at home and out. Usually that goes well, but sometimes it doesn’t. And well, she has to vent about that. This time, her frustration is about people who don’t know how food vocabulary works. ‘Advocados don’t exist and sommelier doesn’t rhyme with bier!’
Some people say ‘when-ever’, ‘oto’ and ‘so-and-so’ instead of sowieso. None of it is a disaster, but surprising to say the least. In the context of first world problems—because I’m well-versed in those—let’s also talk about how to use food vocabulary correctly. For example, it’s entrecôte with a t, not entrecooo, just to name an often-made mistake.
Advocado?!
By the way, I didn’t come up with the idea myself; it came to me when I heard someone shouting advocado very loudly. And I find that almost as bad as the texture of a paper straw and a wooden fork.
The millennial’s fruit
The idiot who says advocado should never be allowed to eat guacamole again. Agreed? And by the way, you pronounce that gwa-ka-mole; no one is quacking (or croaking) in this dish.
Cup of coffee?
If you want all Italians to simultaneously turn over in their graves, order an expresso. So just stick with espresso. And don’t start saying expresso on purpose now, okay?
Elastic bands
And people, it’s steeeeekhouse, not stiekhouse. It almost sounds as if you’re going to play elastic bands with a little steak, and everything that looks like elastic and comes near a tender piece of meat is bad news.
Kee-noooo-ah
Honestly, I first watched an entire episode of 24Kitchen to practise this word, but ever since then it’s been keen-wah for me, before and after, and of course I mean quinoa. Definitely don’t pronounce it keenowaaa.
Hey, sommeljeee
In my opinion, the most important person in a restaurant next to the chef (if we’re really being pedantic, you also pronounce it without the -t at the end). But remember: sommelier doesn’t rhyme with bier. And if you think the previous sentence does rhyme, then everything is going wrong. Som-mel-jeee.
Vreppie for the cheapskate
Where I come from—I won’t name names because I’m afraid I’ll never be allowed back onto that particular island—they call them vreppies. And they’re made using a ready-made kit that already contains everything. Very little is actually wrapped, which is a shame.
Egg-cellent, anyone?
I understand this confusion. You devoted your entire primary-school education to practising vowels, and then suddenly they come up with the omelet. But you really do say ommelet, as in: little walk. Your uncle has nothing to do with the egg.
For those with a sweet tooth
It’s suiker, not to be confused with zuiker. You’re not freaking Beatrix. The name is suiker, with an S. And why do people say ‘Vanielje’??
Cheers!
And if you’re looking for me, I’m recovering from the copious amounts of tequila. Pronounce it: te-qui-la. I understand that you feel the need to insert a ‘y’ here, but that’s not correct.
And now that we’re on the subject… Could we please stop using abbreviations in the hospitality industry ASAP? Terrible!
Also read:
- If you hate chunks in your food
- The grossest dining scene in a restaurant ever
- Confession: I’m buying my house based on thuisbezorgd.nl
Image: The Avocado Show
