Flashcards for Foodspeak

by Jason Best, Posted Feb 10th 2011 @ 4:30PM

Like any socio-cultural subset (gamers, tweens), foodies speak their own language, and if you're looking to chow down with the haute-cuisine set, well, you've got to come up with something better than "tasty" or "awesome" to describe that savory, paper-thin slice of imported Italian bresaola that practically just melted on your tongue.

What better way to expand your culinary vocabulary than this set of Foodie Flashcards? After all, if flashcards could get you a passing grade in high school French, then surely they can help you to pass as a foodie at your next farmers-market-themed potluck.

There's more than a hint of irony here -- just take a look at the Fifties-style "Dick-and-Jane" artwork. And there's the question of whether anyone short of Alice Waters would ever use a term like "mouthfeel" in actual conversation. (Well, ok, maybe Kristine Hansen, our wine critic.)

The pack (from the company Knock, Knock) comes with 50 cards, each printed on the front with a particular foodie word or phrase, from the relatively ubiquitous (locavore, artisanal) to the rather obscure (mineral flavor). The definition is on the back.

Then there are the suggested party games, but you don't really need to be at the head of class to figure these out (like setting a timer for two minutes and seeing how many definitions each player can get right). Using the cards for your next postprandial game of charades seems like fun, though. Just try acting out the word crudo after a couple glasses of wine.

And at the very least, once you've mastered the set, the next time a waiter comes up and offers you an amuse-bouche, you won't be tempted to slap him across the face.

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Filed Under: New Products
Tags: featured, FlashCards, gifts