The top ten: Phrases that ought to be off the menu

 

John Rentoul
Friday 25 October 2013 09:50 EDT
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My search for meaningless verbiage to ban has taken me to some specialist sub-categories of jargon. Now Matthew Beardmore-Gray suggests that I should take the censor's pen to pretentious descriptions on menus...

1. Anything that mentions 'foam'.

2. Slow-cooked Meaning cooked elsewhere and reheated.

3. Vegetables 'nestling' with each other. Often in a 'bed'.

4. Jus Nominated by Sadie Smith who insists it's gravy.

5. Sourced Suggested by John West (no, really), especially ethically or locally.

6. Drizzle Nominated by Ms Person, among others. Usually means drip.

7. Hand-carved Thank you Jonathan Freedland.

8. Vine-ripened heritage tomatoes

9. Artisanal breads

10. Coulis Nominated by EU News. Means a sauce of dubious sugary origin.

Next week: Most beautiful British railway journeys

Coming soon: Anagrams. Mary Ann Sieghart told me that Kensington High Street is an anagram of Togetherness Thinking, which got me thinking. Send your suggestions (by Tuesday 5 November), and ideas for any future Top 10s, to top10@independent.co.uk

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