Argh - Language Sins in Cookery

I generally just pass over ignorance when I see it - God knows that you'd have a full time job correcting spelling in this day of texting shortcuts - while I do think that the youth who frankly don't give a damn about proper grammar and spelling should be tied to a blackboard and made to write correct sentences before being given back their cellphones, it really isn't worth the adrenalin and bile to worry about it.

Once in awhile I do see some usage that offends me to the degree that I seek spiritual lavage via posting my indignation on a group that may care about such things, and thus I appear before you here, today.

The one that set me off was two separate instances of a supposedly knowledgeable food professional using the term 'au jus' (usually mispronounced, but that I can forgive) as a noun rather than a preparation/serving method. As in "I liked the taste of his au jus".

Now beef au jus is simply beef served with 'its own juice' - usually a seasoned beef juice, often with wine. So the correct terminology would of course be "I liked the taste of the jus", not the 'au jus'.

Would anyone tasting the chicken in an arroz con pollo say 'I liked the taste of the con pollo'? Or anyone eating bacon and eggs say "Man, those 'and eggs' are good."

I have even seen menus that included an item called 'Beef with au jus'.

I know that I am micturating into the wind here and that few may care about language, but at least I feel better now. Thank you!

Your post made me smile. I have the same problem with the way many people use the word myriad, albeit not ususal in cookery.

Let me count the myriad ways....

You must, like me, hate the phrase 'almost unique', as if unique were a relative rather than absolute - sort of like saying 'a little bit pregnant'.

Oh yes! Let the pedantry begin!

Down here it's election season, so all the politicians and pundits are blathering about 'growing the economy' or 'growing small businesses' as if they were damned carrots. It irritates me everytime I hear it, which is often!

Oh yes! Let the pedantry begin!

Down here it's election season, so all the politicians and pundits are blathering about 'growing the economy' or 'growing small businesses' as if they were damned carrots. It irritates me everytime I hear it, which is often!

Yup - that was Clinton, or at least in his time that this one appeared, and I hated it the first time I heard it and every time I heard it thereafter!

Your post made me smile. I have the same problem with the way many people use the word myriad, albeit not ususal in cookery.

From Merriam-Webster
Usage Discussion of MYRIAD

Recent criticism of the use of myriad as a noun, both in the plural form myriads and in the phrase a myriad of, seems to reflect a mistaken belief that the word was originally and is still properly only an adjective. As the entries here show, however, the noun is in fact the older form, dating to the 16th century. The noun myriad has appeared in the works of such writers as Milton (plural myriads) and Thoreau (a myriad of), and it continues to occur frequently in reputable English. There is no reason to avoid it.


Examples of MYRIAD

There are a myriad of possibilities.
<the car can be outfitted with a myriad of options>
Mr. McCullough hails Adams for being uncannily prescient … foreseeing a myriad of developments, from the difficulty of defeating the British … to the divisive consequences of slavery. —Michiko Kakutani, New York Times, 22 May 2001

[Jenise]

Bill, the 'au jus' problem is rampant down here, and so is it's cousin "au gratin". Like, "I'm making an au gratin to take to a potluck...." Kills me!

Bill, the 'au jus' problem is rampant down here, and so is it's cousin "au gratin". Like, "I'm making an au gratin to take to a potluck...." Kills me!

Au Gawd!

[Robin Garr]

Bill, the 'au jus' problem is rampant down here, and so is it's cousin "au gratin". Like, "I'm making an au gratin to take to a potluck...." Kills me!

Don't forget, at least regionally, "au" is pronounced "awwwww".

I try not to judge when I hear regular folks doing it, but when it's on a restaurant menu or website it delivers a message that I don't care to hear.

Bill, the 'au jus' problem is rampant down here, and so is it's cousin "au gratin". Like, "I'm making an au gratin to take to a potluck...." Kills me!

Au Gawd!

And Gawd be au you as well....

These are the culinary equivalents of the 'variety' versus 'varietal' problem in wine-speak. "With au jus" is similar to the phrase "ATM machine". Both are in the department of redundancy department.

-Paul W.

don't get me started on "vinegERette" - the urge to maim.

i don't know if it started here or where; but most of our stores have converted from the original "10 items or less" to "10 items or fewer" in the express lanes. a step in the right direction.

Since we've already veered off topic, how about HOT WATER HEATER. Why would you want to heat hot water?

Similar to ATM Machine, I also like VIN Number.

I must admit that when I send out an event notice and say 'RSVP; I keep wanting to append the redundant 'please'......