Looking for: New Foodie Adjectives

It is only fair that a bite which makes the taste buds dance deserves a word which rolls beautifully off the tongue to describe it.

A five-second clip on the Food Network last week showed two people tasting a dish that they both described as "amazing." 

I don't want to simply lament the overuse of certain words so I've decided to do a little investigation and hopefully propagate a few lesser-used words to describe our culinary endeavors. 

Here are a few worth sharing (from www.dictionary.com and www.thesaurus.com):

1. Synonyms for Delicious: ambrosial, delectable, divine, piquant, redolent, sapid, savory, titillating.
2. Acerbic: bitter, sharp, or sour. Synonyms: acidic, acrid, harsh
3. Ambrosial: delicate, fragrant, heavenly, luscious
4. Piquant: flavorful, biting. Synonyms: highly-seasoned, lively, peppery, poignant, provocative, pungent, racy, savory, sharp, snappy, spicy, stimulating, stinging, tangy, tart, zesty. Notes: Having a sharp taste is pungent and having a pleasingly sharp taste is piquant. Local example: #15 Tom Kha Gai at Thai Thai II, 509 Main Street in Bethlehem. This is a wonderfully piquant item found at many Thai restaurants and perfected by Thai Thai II. From their menu: “The most aromatic herb soup: chicken with coconut milk, galangal, lemongrass, kaffir leaves, mushroom, chili, and lime juice.” True statement.
5. Redolent: having the odor or smell of, i.e. a room redolent of country flowers. From Latin redolens smelling of, from redolere to give off an odor. Local example: Sal’s Brick Oven Pizza & Restaurant (313 S. New St.) has an intimate dining area redolent of the titillating flavors wafting from the kitchen.  
6. Sapid: 1. having a pleasant taste; 2. agreeable or engaging. From Latin sapidus, from sapere: to taste.

The words we use to describe our food are also a product of the cultures and communities of which we are a part. Our lifestyles have a way of infusing our language with terms that would not translate well to someone belonging to another mode. I know delicate, religious folk who I have seen repeatedly describe pleasing foods as “divine,” whereas teenage boys have been known to describe especially rich and flavorful foods as “dank” or even “gross.” It is amusing to imagine either party using the words of the other.  Note: “Gross” follows the same reverse logic as “sick,” its meaning is exactly opposite its principal definition. 

From your newly expanded repertoire, now you can at least attempt to put into words the culinary delight that can typically only be expressed in "Mmmmmmmm!!"