Customer Reviews

The Food Snob's Dictionary: An Essential Lexicon of Gastronomical Knowledge

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This compact book wasn't exactly what I was expecting. Given that it's a dictionary obstensibly for "food snobs," you might think it would show them some respect. But this dictionary, while quite informative, was completely irreverent and downright snarky. To be honest, I really found myself chuckling as I read the entries.

The "definitions" included culinary terms (molecular gastronomy, artisanal, crudo), procedures (brining, expedite, plating), famous chefs (Alice Waters, Marcus Gavius Apicus, James Beard), gourmet foods (speck, crepinette, fennel pollen), food purveyors (Dirty Girl Produce, Cowgirl Creamery, Niman Ranch), and kitchen equipment (bain-marie, All-Clad, Global Knives). Often, the word being defined is used in an illuminating sentence, such as, "Ever since Chef got his own TV show, he hardly ever cooks anymore; basically, he comes in two nights a week just to EXPEDITE and scream at us like a dick." Oh, and did I mention the foul language? Didn't offend me in the least. Actually, it cracked me up, but that's me.

Aside from the humor, there is a lot of good information here for the person looking to learn about both current trends and culinary history. As a San Franciscan, I was impressed by how many local food purveyors these New York authors included in their book. But they're not just bi-coastal, the mid-west was represented as well. If you're interested in the subject, this book is worth picking up to assess your personal snobbery quotient--or perhaps potential.

Now you too can show off like a seasoned snob in the the finest restaurants. It used to be all one needed was an attitude and a working knowledge of the French language to show off in a great restaurant. But that was before terms like artisanal and zabaglione invaded. Now, thanks to the tireless efforts of the clever and funny writer David Kamp, all you need is this Food Snob's Dictionary hidden in your purse or back pocket. I never leave home without it. My friends are all impressed with my new found knowledge of food. Oh, and it's darn fun to read too.

Self-deprecating humor always works, especially when it conveys useful information. With just the right amount of words, this book is not only fun, it is very informative. Specially useful are the 'how to use in a sentence' bits. A great holiday gift.

This is a tasty little book to have on hand as a quick, fun, read between big serious novels. Very informational as well as silly, something that the snobs wouldn't want to fold into their Mousseline!

The foodie mystique unmasked. This book has all the trivia that a real foodie needs to know, presented in a fun format!

Wow no one is a bigger food snob than me but there was not one useful food term left out of this dictionary. I looked and looked and looked. I had some issues with the Broccolini segment but overall a grand job by all involved. This is a much better book than United States of Arugula! Oh and I did find one omission in the " W " section the word "wine" is not there. Strange since that is a vital part of any food snobs meal. Nevertheless I have read every food book on the market and this is a STEAL at these prices and real handy when you need to know your Quince from your Quinoa!

Cute, short humorous book for foodies. The dictionary offers tongue in cheek definitions of culinary terms. With new restaurants opening, new ethnic cuisines, and the heightened interest in everything culinary, new vocabulary abounds. Funny!

Publication days are happy ones, particularly when they involve The World's Second Best Accidental Food Writer, David Kamp. (First place goes to Anthony Bourdain, although after four books, two TV shows and a bunch of mystery novels, he's sort of an editor emeritus; it's been years since he's seen the dark side of a restaurant kitchen.)

In any case, "The Food Snob's Dictionary" ("FSD") is the unholy love child of Kamp's twin obsessions: pop-culture lexicons of "aspirational satire" and the rise of America's food(ie) culture, which he documented brilliantly in "The United States of Arugula" (which, in paperback, has a fabulous new tagline: "The Sun Dried, Cold Pressed, Dark Roasted, Extra Virgin Story of the American Food Revolution").

Kamp's FSD, like his dictionaries that came before it (Rock Snob's, Film Snob's), is dedicated to celebrating and righteously tweaking the cultural obsessive.

Be still, my heart.

While I'm far from a food snob, it's nice to appear knowledgable to those who are. The book is written in a humorous manner. It was delivered speedily and in good condition.

I bought this book on Amazon and what a trivial disappointment. Half of the entries are for chefs and food writers - almost all from NY, CA, or France. There are many other food meccas, hot chefs and products in the world (and in North America) but these writers seem very limited. So many current food trends and new products are left out. It almost feels that the writers talked to a few restaurants in New York, made a trip to California, and then spent the rest of the time on google to get some info. At times it's almost ludicrous as e.g. when they don't seem to even realize there's a difference in Austrian and German cuisines and influence (Yes they are different and in the south Tyrol of Northern Italy, it's Austrian influence, not German). I think they are trying to also be humorous but it's the same joke through the whole book of writing a ridiculous sentence using the word at the end of the definition. It stops being very funny after a couple of pages. I hate to sound like a snob but this book is one that soon will be collecting dust on a shelf if you purchase it unless you are perhaps from New York or California - for which it might have some parochial allure.