Can your philosophy, your point of view, your priorities, be summed up on a T-shirt? It’s safe to say that a certain type of foodie is wearing their heart on their sleeve … or their message on their chest.
Chef Michael Ollier and I recently traveled to San Francisco for a culinary conference. It was the perfect site, as the City by the Bay is also a city that celebrates an incredible diversity and tradition of edible wonders. One landmark, the Ferry Terminal Building, is a must-see for gourmets and gourmands seeking a uniquely local, and flavorful, experience. A wide variety of culinary artisans operate shops and stands, enticing passers-by with their high-quality wares. Among them, a wonderful selection of foodie Ts that appealed to not only my love of food, but of wordplay.
Exhibit A:
This one found its way home with me, from the Scharffen Berger chocolate shop. Those who know me best would probably be quick to agree my often-sardonic wit and sarcastic humor make this an ideal choice. For those who are not quite so dark, other choices included (semi)sweet and (bitter)sweet. (Does the fact that I actually prefer to eat milk chocolate mean I’m sweeter on the inside than I let on?)
Exhibit B:
Chef Michael had to take this one home, from the Prather Ranch Butcher Shop. We may be all about the best quality beef, but who doesn’t dig the pig as well? You could say we’re equal opportunity protein connoisseurs when the occasion is right.
Our culinary clothing adventures got me thinking of some other food-inspired slogans: Carpe Diem (for a fishmonger); On a Wing and a Prayer (for a poultry purveyor); You Heard it Through the Grapevine (for a vineyard).
You see where I’m going with these … !
What words of wisdom and worldview would you like to wear around town? Should we introduce a line of T-shirts celebrating the beefy, marbled beauty of the Certified Angus Beef ® brand? And if so, what do you think our catchphrase should be? (My vote’s for “Tallow Be Thy Name.”)