Blog Post #3

oodie culture certainly appears to be available to the average, middle-class American. But the word "foodie" lacks a definitive definition. The Oxford English Dictionary defines "foodie" simply as "a person with a particular interest in food; a gourmet", but Merriam-Webster defines a foodie as "a person having an avid interest in the latest food fads". Though these definitions are similar, the Oxford English Dictionary's inclusion of "a gourmet" implies that a foodie is interested only in gourmet food, which is a major difference from Merriam-Webster's definition.

Instead of a dictionary, let's look to some websites in the foodie world for a more precise definition. The definition of a foodie from foodies.com is a little more detailed:

On the curriculum vitae of a foodie, "eating" is listed as a hobby. The foodie lives to eat, and to eat to live is definitive boredom. A true foodie clings to all things culinary. From soup to nuts, a foodie seeks out the fun stuff about fine fare, along with the arcane, the academic, the in-depth, and the latest. To find the perfect cheese or the best macaroon recipe is life's work.

MIT's Culture Shock goes a bit further:

The trademark of the foodie is that he or she cannot bare the boredom of eating to live; instead, they live to eat, resulting in a vast love for all things culinary.

It is obvious from these examples that the definition of a foodie from the traditional dictionaries is an oversimplification. More importantly, we can see that the definition of a foodie here differs from that of a gourmet:

We would argue that today’s gourmet is a broader-perspective fine food enthusiast who pursues the complex and sophisticated flavors in the major world cuisines; and that there is still a dividing line between what is accessible and enjoyable to many people, and what is more rarefied and of interest to those whose palates and noses seek higher levels of nuance and challenge (i.e., the gourmets).

- The Nibble

It is evident that there is a definite line between foodie and gourmet. And because a foodie is not limited to the high-class, expensive restaurants and foods, the foodie culture is open to the average, middle-class American. In fact, there are many aspects of the foodie world that cater specifically to these foodies working on a budget. The Food Network's 30 Minute Meals with Rachael Ray, for example, features recipes for working moms. During each episode Rachael will put together a complete meal in the 30 minutes, often pointing out to her viewers any ingredients that may be substituted with another that may be less expensive. Foodie websites are also catering towards the foodies looking to eat at home on a budget. Allrecipes includes a section "Cooking on a Budget", which features articles such as budgeting and how to clean a full chicken, which is much cheaper than buying the pieces separately. But inevitably the foodie must eat out. To help with this, websites such as Yelp step in, where one can browse restaurants by category or location, then filter by price.

While this may all seem idealistic, consider the real-life example of Julie Powell. Julie, a secretary in New York City, was about as much the average American as an American can be. A graduate of Amherst College with degrees in theater and creative writing, she had no formal culinary training. Starting in August of 2002, Julie spent 365 days cooking through all 524 recipes in Julia Child's Mastering the Art of French Cooking, blogging about it along the way. Recently depicted in the movie Julie & Julia, Julie Powell's story has greatly increased awareness of Julia Child in the United States recently.

Despite the ability of middle-class Americans to partake in the foodie culture with the numerous resources available, there are still limits as to what can be achieved. For example, Ruth Reichl's $100 sushi lunches will be out of reach for many Americans. Most of Yelp's four- and five-star restaurants sport prices of over $60 per meal; Quinones at Bacchanalia, a five-star restaurant in Atlanta, is $125 per head. So while the average, middle-class American may be able to participate in the foodie culture, there are limits as to what is available to them.