Over-flowery food language

I’ve noticed it a lot on MN over the years, but it seems to be getting worse lately. No one seems to be able to talk about food without behaving like they’re in those M&S ads with Dervla Kirwan! It’s all so over the top.

On one of the Christmas food threads the other day, someone was waxing lyrical about showing off their “glossy sprouts” and “vivid red cranberry sauce” (as opposed to beige cranberry sauce?), while someone else was talking about something cooked in “lashings of butter”. When did anyone last use the word “lashings” outside of an Enid Blyton novel.

It’s everywhere at the moment. Dare to admit you don’t have 37 different vegetables and there are gasps of “But Christmas dinner should be a feast!”. And it’s not even just about fancy or party food. Even fairly ordinary day to day food gets described like it’s something Michelin star. I remember one woman going into raptures about her “famous” lasagne and all its joys - ending on “And I DON’T skimp on the cheese!”, as if this was somehow terribly indulgent. It’s only a bloody lasagne!!

Why can’t MNers have a normal conversation about food without acting like they’re writing (bad) copy for a catering brochure?

I think what you are describing is excess, not over-descriptive language, which is what the OP seems to dislike.

I would describe myself as a foodie because I am interested in food. Reading about it, cooking it and eating it. I actually have quite a small appetite and often end up leaving some on my plate when I can't finish it, but I still love it and like to talk about it.

Whilst I acknowledge there is a lot of over-blown descriptions used sometimes on menus or adverts, I see nothing wrong with using some imaginative language when writing or talking about everyday life. Why reach for the same old boring words to describe something if you can paint a better picture by choosing different ones?

Re Jilly Goldeen from BBC Food and Drink
80s iirc
Now that was "flowery " language.

Because when everyone does it it stops being a better picture and becomes monotonous, and yes I reference excessiveness but that’s what it is in most cases, hence the use of the word lashings of by so many,

ive seen posters in raptures over things like cheese on toast, lashings of dripping melted cheese, thick tiger bread, how they are drooling at the thought. Or crisp flavours, all that salt and vinegar goodness burning your tongue, salivating at the thought,

i do think a lot of it is tied to food issues for many, and yes excess, I understand for you you’re a slim foodie who likes to “paint picture with words” but anyone reading these threads will see everyone does it, and when that happens it stops being a picture, and it’s hardly a foodie thread when it’s about crisp flavours, chocolate bars, takeaways, Yorkshire puddings etc

it doesn’t matter what someone asks, be it your fave sandwich, chocolate bar, cake, roast dinner of takeaway order it’s piled on with people using flowery language, post after post, of delicious! Drooling! Lashings of!Yummy!

That just sounds like people taking pleasure in their food, tbh. Cheese on toast is indeed a sensory delight. It’s your visceral disgust which is a bit unsettling, to me.

“Sensory delight” “visceral disgust”

case in point, 😂

This just proves my point. People who use deliberately over the top language tend to think it makes them look terribly clever.

Re Jilly Goldeen from BBC Food and Drink
80s iirc
Now that was "flowery " language.

I haven't especially noticed it here.

I find it quite amusing on restaurant menus - food always has to be 'nestled' in its accompaniment, for example - I'd be disappointed if the trend passed!

No, you’ve misunderstood. I think using a range of normal descriptive language makes me look normal (ditto enjoying food). I also think this thread is a very good example of a) inverted academic snobbery, and b) the misconception that performative grumpiness makes YOU look terribly clever. And you’ve managed to attract the orthorexic crowd, so bonus points for that.