Food24
  • Recipes
    • New recipes
    • Easy weekday meals
    • Videos
    • Festive Recipes
    • Budget recipes
    • South African recipes
    • Cooking with lamb
    • Beef recipes
    • Fish and Tips
    • Braai recipes
    • Pork recipes
    • Air fryer recipes
    • Chicken recipes
    • Vegetarian recipes
    • Baking Recipes
    • Gluten-free recipes
    • Dairy-free recipes
    • Cocktail Recipes
    • Non-alcoholic drinks
  • Features
    • Food news
    • Recipe round-ups
    • Food24 Taste Tests
    • Kitchen Inspo
    • Drinks
      • Wine
      • Beer
      • Coffee
    • Zero Waste Cooking
    • In Season
      • Summer
      • Spring
  • Cooking guides & tips
    • Pantry staples
    • Load shedding lifesavers
    • Baking tips and tricks
  • Kids
    • Baby
  • More
    • Win
    • Newsletters
No Result
View All Result
Food24
  • Recipes
    • New recipes
    • Easy weekday meals
    • Videos
    • Festive Recipes
    • Budget recipes
    • South African recipes
    • Cooking with lamb
    • Beef recipes
    • Fish and Tips
    • Braai recipes
    • Pork recipes
    • Air fryer recipes
    • Chicken recipes
    • Vegetarian recipes
    • Baking Recipes
    • Gluten-free recipes
    • Dairy-free recipes
    • Cocktail Recipes
    • Non-alcoholic drinks
  • Features
    • Food news
    • Recipe round-ups
    • Food24 Taste Tests
    • Kitchen Inspo
    • Drinks
      • Wine
      • Beer
      • Coffee
    • Zero Waste Cooking
    • In Season
      • Summer
      • Spring
  • Cooking guides & tips
    • Pantry staples
    • Load shedding lifesavers
    • Baking tips and tricks
  • Kids
    • Baby
  • More
    • Win
    • Newsletters
No Result
View All Result
Food24
No Result
View All Result

20 idioms to spice up your culinary lingo (and your love of food, of course)

Food24
Andrea Fedder by Andrea Fedder
February 4, 2020
in Food News
0
20 idioms to spice up your culinary lingo (and your love of food, of course)
0
SHARES
2.2k
VIEWS
FacebookTwitterPinterestWhatsapp

If upping your foodie game is on your to-do list this year, then consider a more well-rounded approach. Of course what you’re able to whip up in the kitchen counts, as well as how well-frequented you are in the restaurant scene, and how well-versed you are in the latest trends – perhaps your love of food even extends into growing the plumpest tomatoes.

 

But a true food-lover doesn’t only cook, eat and grow beautiful food. They speak it, too. Though certain food puns have become unbearable clichés, we’ve rounded up a selection of lesser-spewed platitudes to spice up your lingo.

 

1.Tough nut to crack

A difficult problem to solve. (Nuts are hard. Problems are hard. You get it.)

20 idioms to spice up your culinary lingo

 

2. Low-hanging fruit 

The easiest thing to achieve or get.

3. As busy as popcorn on a skillet

To be very active. (Though we aren’t sure who cooks popcorn in a skillet anyway.)

4. A half-baked plan 

Not thought through properly.

 

5. Like nailing jelly to a wall 

A really challenging thing to do. 


6. The top banana 

The leader or boss. Particularly enjoyable to use when someone thinks they’re the big cheese (yes, that’s another one). Bananas just don’t conjure images of status and respect.

7. Greatest thing since sliced bread 

Something that is excellent.

20 idioms to spice up your culinary lingo

8. Not worth a hill of beans

Not valuable.

9. Take it with a pinch/grain of salt 

Don’t take it too seriously or to heart.

 

10. Upset the apple cart 

Disturb the status quo or upset the balance 


11. Buy a lemon 

To buy something worthless or defective. (But we love you, lemons!)

ALSO READ: When life gives you lemons, make these 9 sweet desserts

 

12. That is so ‘vanilla’ 

To be plain, bland or ordinary. (It’s an unfair stereotype, but some flavour had to bear it.)

 

13. To not give a fig 

To not care.

20 idioms to spice up your culinary lingo


ALSO READ: Summer’s sexy ingredient you need in your fruit bowl

 

14. Fat’s in the fire 

When big problems or troubles are ahead. Burns and loud crackling noises will likely follow.

15. The carrot and stick approach 

To simultaneously motivate someone through reward and punishment.

 

16. To cut the mustard 

To have achieved something, to be effective or to be top quality. 


17. A storm in a teacup 

A great hullabaloo over trivial things. (Teacups are really more suited to civilised whispers of indignation.)


18. Cool as a cucumber 

To be calm and composed. 


19. Bubblegum news  

A not so nice way of referring to slightly immature journalism. 


20. Piece of crumpet

An attractive woman. Use this one at your own risk – we’re fairly sure that most women would take offence at being compared to a stodgy tea cake.

20 idioms to spice up your culinary lingo

 

May your year be filled with foodie idioms and your dinner parties peppered with puns!

 



Related Posts

In season now: 12 essential watermelon recipes for summer
Recipe Round-Ups

In season now: 12 essential watermelon recipes for summer

December 8, 2023
basil plant
Zero waste cooking

5 herbs to add to your summer garden

December 8, 2023
festive-braai-guide
Recipe Round-Ups

Beat load shedding with a festive braai: Your ultimate menu guide

December 7, 2023
Next Post
Opinion: Could the wine list have clinched La Colombe’s title as SA’s top restaurant?

Opinion: Could the wine list have clinched La Colombe’s title as SA’s top restaurant?

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Food24 Team Loves

Yuppiechef gift box

Secret Santa: Gifts to buy the foodie in your life

December 5, 2023
cooking-brussels-sprouts

Loathe Brussels sprouts? Try these cooking methods

November 20, 2023
tiktok-cottage-cheese-trends

Here’s why cottage cheese is trending on TikTok

November 14, 2023
baby porridge

Introducing Food24 Baby, your go-to resource for trusted nutrition

November 9, 2023
baby-collab-weaning

What is the COLLAB approach to weaning? 

November 8, 2023

Recent favourites

  • basil plant

    5 herbs to add to your summer garden

    0 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
  • Secret Santa: Gifts to buy the foodie in your life

    0 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
  • Beat load shedding with a festive braai: Your ultimate menu guide

    0 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
  • Holiday leftovers: A guide to freezing and defrosting festive food

    1 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
  • Light and healthy recipes that simply scream summer

    2 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0

Newsletter

Get weekly access to our best recipes, tips and tricks

Sign Up
Footer

Quick links

  • Home
  • News
  • Videos
  • Win

Collections

  • New Recipes
  • Festive Recipes
  • Baking Recipes
  • Dessert Recipes
  • Braai Recipes
  • Lunchbox
  • South African Recipes
  • Pasta Recipes

Other links

  • Advertise with Food24
  • Editorial Policy
  • How to Pitch
  • Contact us

Not in the mood to cook?

Visit eatout.co.za to find the perfect restaurant near you.

eatout.co.za

© 2020 Food24.com. All rights reserved.

  • About us
  • Terms of Use
  • Privacy Policy
  • New Media
IAB
No Result
View All Result
  • Recipes
    • New recipes
    • Easy weekday meals
    • Videos
    • Festive Recipes
    • Budget recipes
    • South African recipes
    • Cooking with lamb
    • Beef recipes
    • Fish and Tips
    • Braai recipes
    • Pork recipes
    • Air fryer recipes
    • Chicken recipes
    • Vegetarian recipes
    • Baking Recipes
    • Gluten-free recipes
    • Dairy-free recipes
    • Cocktail Recipes
    • Non-alcoholic drinks
  • Features
    • Food news
    • Recipe round-ups
    • Food24 Taste Tests
    • Kitchen Inspo
    • Drinks
      • Wine
      • Beer
      • Coffee
    • Zero Waste Cooking
    • In Season
      • Summer
      • Spring
  • Cooking guides & tips
    • Pantry staples
    • Load shedding lifesavers
    • Baking tips and tricks
  • Kids
    • Baby
  • More
    • Win
    • Newsletters

© 2019 Food24.com. All rights reserved.

Login to your account below

Forgotten Password? Sign Up

Fill the forms below to register

Subscribe to Newsletter

All fields are required. Log In

Retrieve your password

Please enter your username or email address to reset your password.

Log In
Close
Food24
Recipe Disclaimer

All recipe content is the responsibility of the party from whom such content originated. You agree that you use the content on Food24 at your own risk. Please read our editorial policy.
Close
Food24
Get the latest recipes delivered to your inbox weekly
Promotional Newsletter

Be the first to receive information about competitions and special offers from Food24 and it's partners.

You have successfully been subscribed!
Something went wrong. Please try again.
Make sure you have completed all required fields.
I don't want to see this again