Delicious words!

Learn why nuts are crazy and the meaning of 11 other food terms

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Our language loves to borrow from the dinner table. Many everyday words that sound delicious once referred only to food but have since taken on entirely new meanings. Think of "salty" moods or "cheesy" jokes, how did these expressions come to describe emotions or humor? Take a look at 12 of these idioms and see for yourself!

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A term once used for describing the act of dropping buttered food, "butterfingers" now labels anyone who fumbles objects easily. Baseball announcers helped popularize the term in the early 1900s.

These days, it’s used far beyond sports. If someone drops their phone or fumbles the remote, they might be called butterfingers.

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This insult began with the idea of someone whose brain was replaced by meat (indeed, not the most flattering image). It became slang for brawny but dim-witted men.

After the television show All in the Family popularized its use in the 1970s, "meathead" stuck as shorthand for someone strong in muscle but short on sense.

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Before it meant "crazy," it was just a snack. "Nuts" became slang for "insane" in early 20th-century slang, perhaps because nuts were small, round, and a bit "off the wall."

Now the word is often used affectionately as well, as in "I’m nuts about you," meaning deeply fond.

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A term originally linked to cheap cheese or bad dairy smells, "cheesy" came to describe things lacking class or quality.

From clothing items to home décor, today, calling something "cheesy" means it’s corny, overdone, or trying too hard, with none of the charm of real cheese.

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Long ago, sailors who were "worth their salt" were admired, but by the 20th century, "salty" had shifted in meaning. It came to describe coarse language and, later, sour moods.

Today, being "salty" just means you’re irritated or resentful, a figurative taste of bitterness, no longer tied to the shaker.

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Before it meant trouble, a pickle was simply a brined cucumber. William Shakespeare gave the word new figurative life when he wrote "in such a pickle," using it to suggest "a tricky situation."

Nowadays, being "in a pickle" just means you’ve landed in a mess that’s hard to escape.

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The use of this word as a phrase began as college slang in the 1960s, possibly inspired by "cool" jazz culture. Beans were everyday and friendly, making them perfect for playfulness.

Saying "Cool beans!" today still feels sunny and casual, a lighthearted way to express approval without sounding too serious.

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What was once purely a sticky treat, "honey" became a term of affection centuries ago, showing how sweetness appeals to both the tongue and the heart.

Today, it is one of English’s most common terms of endearment, heard in phrases ranging from "Honey, I’m home!" to "Hey, honey."

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The term might be more commonly used to describe baked goods, but cookies also became metaphors for people with distinctive traits or character.

Expressions like "smart cookie" or "tough cookie" show how language uses food to describe personalities in a lighthearted and playful way.

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Peaches have long symbolized beauty, youth, and desirability. By the early 1900s, "peachy" had come to mean everything was fine or delightful.

Saying "Everything’s peachy!" expresses a sort of vintage sense of joy and optimism that is sometimes used ironically.

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From fruit spread to music sessions, "jam" is a word that has branched out in surprisingly creative ways. Musicians "jam" together in improvised play, while people find themselves "in a jam" when facing trouble.

It’s a curious word that can sound both fun and frustrating, depending on whether you’re making music or missing a deadline.

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This word, referring to a comfort food, once meant simply sauce, but by the 20th century, "gravy" came to describe bonuses or easy wins.

Expressions like "gravy job," "gravy train," and "it’s all gravy" share the same idea: smooth, rich, and effortless, just like a delicious serving of gravy.

VENTURE BEYOND THE MICROWAVE

"To broil or not to broil": 10 cooking verbs and their meanings

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From the ancient technique of holding a food item with a stick over an open flame to the intricate ways of modern cuisine, the art of cooking has many forms. And while some of us are happy sticking to a couple of those techniques, the most experienced or adventurous cooks can use a whole lot more of these methods for their preparations. Take a look at some of the most used cooking methods and see which ones you use!

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If you have ever eaten poached eggs, then you know what we are talking about. Poaching is a gentle cooking method that submerges food in hot liquid between 140 and 180 degrees Fahrenheit. The low heat works well for delicate items, preserving moisture and flavor without needing fat or oil.

Poaching is a common method of cooking eggs that results in a soft, tender egg white and creamy yolk. It's more health-conscious than pan frying since you don't need oil. You can use broth, wine, or aromatics as the poaching liquid, which adds flavor to boneless, skinless chicken breasts. The finished product is tender chicken that can be cubed, sliced, or shredded.

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A more intense variant than poaching, simmering is a gentle method of cooking food that utilizes higher temperatures than poaching, usually between 180 and 205 degrees Fahrenheit. This temperature range lies below the boiling point and produces tiny bubbles.

To achieve a simmer, bring water to the boiling point and lower the temperature. Simmering produces cooked rice with a light, fluffy texture. You can also choose tough cuts of meat that will release fat and collagen as they simmer, like chuck roast.

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In case you didn’t know it, steam can cook food. To steam food, boil water continuously to produce a steady steam cloud. The steam surrounds food and cooks it evenly while retaining moisture. You can also use a pot and steamer basket, a microwave, or wrap food in foil and cook it in the oven.

You can steam most vegetables with excellent results. Sturdy vegetables like beets, carrots, and potatoes take a bit longer than delicate foods like leafy greens. As for fish and seafood, you can cook a more flavorful fish by adding broth or wine instead of water.

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Boiling simply involves submerging food in water heated to the boiling point of 212 degrees Fahrenheit. The boiling water produces large bubbles, which keeps food in motion while they cook. The expression "slow boil" means that the water has just started to bubble slowly but is not quite heated to the boiling temperature. A full boil occurs at the boiling point, appearing as fast-moving, rolling bubbles.

Pasta is one of the most commonly boiled foods. The hot water cooks the pasta quickly, allowing chefs to remove it from the water before starches break down to prevent a mushy texture.

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A somewhat similar cooking method to roasting, baking uses indirect heat to surround foods and cook from all sides. However, roasting refers to cooking meats or vegetables, and baking indicates making bread, rolls, and cakes. Additionally, baking usually uses lower temperatures than roasting.

Baking transforms wet dough or batter into a final product with a firm texture. You can also bake pizzas in a hot oven to form the crust, harden the dough, and melt the cheese.

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The cooking method of choice for outdoor barbecues, grilling is similar to broiling because grills use radiant heat to cook food quickly. Most grilling equipment features an open grate with a heat source beneath the food.

Flip food items to cook on both sides and adjust the grill's temperature to get grill marks from the hot grate or rack. A grilling favorite, hamburger meat is moist and cooks well on a hot grate. The high heat sears the outside of the burger for a delicious charred flavor.

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The meatier cousin of baking, roasting is performed inside an oven and uses indirect heat that cooks from all sides for even browning. Choose low temperatures of 200 degrees to 350 degrees Fahrenheit to roast tough cuts of meat, or higher temperatures that reach up to 450 degrees Fahrenheit for more tender cuts.

Roasting cooks large cuts of meat slowly and evenly. Prime rib, beef tenderloin, pork butt or shoulder, and pork loin all benefit from roasting.

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Possibly not the healthiest cooking method on this list, frying is a popular technique that involves immersing food in hot oil or fat. The hot oil cooks the food quickly, creating a crisp exterior while retaining moisture.

There are different types of frying techniques, including shallow frying, deep frying, and stir-frying. Pan-frying cooks food in a shallow layer of oil, while deep-frying cooks food by completely submerging it in hot oil. For the best final product, use the right oil, maintain the proper temperature, and avoid overcrowding the pan.

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Similarly to grilling, broiling cooks food by transferring extremely high heat onto food items, usually directed from a radiant above the food that cooks on one side at a time. Browning can occur quickly in this process, sealing juices and flavor inside and leaving a crisp exterior.

Because this cooking method is fast, use a timer and check food frequently so it doesn't become burnt or overcooked. In commercial kitchens, you can broil items using a salamander or broiler oven.

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Stewing completely submerges food in hot liquid. Use small cuts of meat in a stew, which are slow-cooked at low heat. As the stew cooks, fibrous vegetables break down while the meat's fat and collagen melt away. This leads to a thick, flavorful gravy filled with tender meat and soft vegetables.

Meats that are rich in collagen and fat do well in a stew pot. Vegetables add depth to stews. Onions, carrots, potatoes, and celery are commonly used ingredients.