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Food and Drink
- Drinka Pinta Milka Day.: National Dairy Council, 1958; coined by Bertrand Whitehead
- Go to work on an egg.: British Egg Marketing Board, from 1957; perhaps written by Fay Weldon or Mary Gowing
- If all be true that I do think,
There are five reasons we should drink;
Good wine—a friend—or being dry—
Or lest we should be by and by—
Or any other reason why.1647–1710 English scholar: ‘Reasons for Drinking’ (1689) - Shake and shake
The catsup bottle.
None will come,
And then a lot'll.1906–89: ‘Going to Extremes’ (1949) - Fair fa' your honest, sonsie face,
Great chieftain o' the puddin'-race!1759–96 Scottish poet: ‘To a Haggis’ (1787) - I'm President of the United States, and I'm not going to eat any more broccoli!1924– American Republican statesman, 41st President 1989–93: in New York Times 23 March 1990
- Doubtless God could have made a better berry, but doubtless God never did.of the strawberry1535–1618 English physician: Izaak Walton The Compleat Angler (3rd ed., 1661) pt. 1, ch. 5
- Tea, although an Oriental,
Is a gentleman at least;
Cocoa is a cad and coward,
Cocoa is a vulgar beast.1874–1936 English essayist, novelist, and poet: ‘Song of Right and Wrong’ (1914) - Take away that pudding—it has no theme.1874–1965 British Conservative statesman, Prime Minister 1940–5, 1951–5: Lord Home The Way the Wind Blows (1976) ch. 16
- The cups,
That cheer but not inebriate.Berkeley1731–1800 English poet: The Task (1785) bk. 4 ‘The Winter Evening’ l. 37; see - Poverty and oysters always seem to go together.Sam Weller1812–70 English novelist: Pickwick Papers (1837) ch. 22
- Milk's leap toward immortality.of cheese1904–99 American critic: Any Number Can Play (1957)
- Roast Beef, Medium, is not only a food. It is a philosophy.1887–1968 American writer: foreword to Roast Beef, Medium (1911)
- Der Mensch ist, was er isst.Man is what he eats.Brillat-Savarin1804–72 German philosopher: Jacob Moleschott Lehre der Nahrungsmittel: Für das Volk (1850) ‘Advertisement’; see
- A cucumber should be well sliced, and dressed with pepper and vinegar, and then thrown out, as good for nothing.1709–84 English poet, critic, and lexicographer: James Boswell Tour to the Hebrides (1785) 5 October 1773
- What is the matter with Mary Jane?
She's perfectly well and she hasn't a pain,
And it's lovely rice pudding for dinner again!
What is the matter with Mary Jane?1882–1956 English writer for children: When We Were Very Young (1924) ‘Rice Pudding’ - Parsley
Is gharsley.1902–71 American humorist: ‘Further Reflections on Parsley’ (1942) - A fruit is a vegetable with looks and money. Plus, if you let fruit rot, it turns into wine, something Brussels sprouts never do.1947– American humorous writer: The Bachelor Home Companion (1987)
- The ordinary human being would sooner starve than live on brown bread and raw carrots. And the peculiar evil is this, that the less money you have, the less inclined you feel to spend it on wholesome food. A millionaire may enjoy breakfasting off orange juice and ryvita biscuits; [but]…When you are underfed, harassed, bored and miserable, you don't want to eat dull wholesome food. You want something a little bit ‘tasty.’1903–50 English novelist: The Road to Wigan Pier (1937) ch. 6
- Coffee, (which makes the politician wise,
And see thro' all things with his half-shut eyes).1688–1744 English poet: The Rape of the Lock (1714) canto 3, l. 117 - It is said that the effect of eating too much lettuce is ‘soporific’.1866–1943 English writer for children: The Tale of the Flopsy Bunnies (1909)
- Look here, Steward, if this is coffee, I want tea; but if this is tea, then I wish for coffee.1841–1992 English humorous weekly periodical: 23 July 1902
- Methinks sometimes I have no more wit than a Christian or an ordinary man has; but I am a great eater of beef, and I believe that does harm to my wit.1564–1616 English dramatist: Twelfth Night (1601) act 1, sc. 3, l. [92] (Oxford Standard Authors ed.)
- There is no love sincerer than the love of food.1856–1950 Irish dramatist: Man and Superman (1903) act 1
- I ate his liver with some fava beans and a nice chianti.1991 film: spoken by Anthony Hopkins as Hannibal Lecter; written by Thomas Harris (1940–) and Ted Tally (1952–)
- Let onion atoms lurk within the bowl,
And, scarce-suspected, animate the whole.1771–1845 English clergyman and essayist: Lady Holland Memoir (1855) vol. 1, ch. 11 ‘Receipt for a Salad’ - Many's the long night I've dreamed of cheese—toasted, mostly.1850–94 Scottish novelist: Treasure Island (1883) ch. 15
- Cauliflower is nothing but cabbage with a college education.1835–1910 American writer: Pudd'nhead Wilson (1894) ch. 5
- mother: It's broccoli, dear.
child: I say it's spinach, and I say the hell with it.1899–1985 American humorist: cartoon caption in New Yorker 8 December 1928