Foodie vs Gourmet and A Question for You

Posted on | November 8, 2007 | 42 Comments |

I came across a foodie group in a social networking site today, where they talked about how the group is for Foodies and not for Gourmets.

I had always thought of foodie as a person and gourmet as the type of food. Isn’t Gourmand the word for people who love gourmet food? But apparently I was wrong, gourmet is also a person!

According to Wikipedia,

foodies differ from gourmets in that gourmets are epicures of refined taste who may or may not be professionals in the food industry, whereas foodies are amateurs who simply love food for consumption, study, preparation, and news. Gourmets simply want to eat the best food, whereas foodies want to learn everything about food, both the best and the ordinary, and about the science, industry, and personalities surrounding food.

Some gourmets would not consider themselves foodies and many foodies would not consider themselves gourmets. Generally speaking, a foodie is a person who has a special interest in food, even foods at which a self-identified gourmet would turn up his nose.

Gourmets are people of refined taste and passion. But don’t you think the gourmets are missing something? I love gourmet food and street food equally, it just depends on the day and the mood.

Wonder what these gourmets eat as a hangover cure? There is no gourmet food strong enough to suck up all those alcohol out of the blood stream after a night of heavy partying. Or maybe gourmets never get that drunk? Maybe fine wine wouldn’t cause any hangover!!

OR ?

I hope all my readers are foodies, not gourmets… and that you all have your favorites, but wouldn’t turn your nose up against any kind of food, just because that is not considered gourmet..

But if you had to choose one type of food for the rest your life… what then?

So, my question to you is -

If you get stuck on a deserted island, and you can pick only one specific meal for the rest of your life, what would you pick?

I know, it is a vague question, so here are some rules

Don’t pick a cuisine, pick specific items
Pick from 1 to 5 items , but it has to make a meal
Don’t ask me questions like where the ingredients are going to come from and who is going to cook for you on a deserted island. Let’s assume I am an eccentric Zillionaire, and my hobby is to kidnap people, stick them in a deserted island, give each one a personal chef who will only cook the same items every day.

My pick would be White rice, Spicy Kerala fish curry, Bittergourd stir fry with coconut slices and Yogurt. I don’t know how long I will survive, but I am sure it will be much much longer than if I had picked roasted quail stuffed with foie gras with a side of pomegranate-pinot reduction!

Category: Random Musings

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Comments

42 Responses to “Foodie vs Gourmet and A Question for You”

Mansi
November 8th, 2007 @ 5:14 pm
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hahha…nice post Sig..I’ve heard this trife betwn foodies and gourmets before; kind of makes sense, b’coz one relates to speciality, the other relates to food love and enthusiasm…The best are those who are a mix of both, like me

Wish you and your husband a very Happy Diwali!!

foodies love good food too, they love all the foods! So, I wouldn’t even take a mix, happy with just being a foodie Hope you had a great diwali!
nimi
November 8th, 2007 @ 5:44 pm
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chemba ari choru
nadan konju fry
payaru thoraan
pulisseri

I am hungry…(No prizes for guessing where I am from!!)

that list is making me hungry too
Karthika
November 8th, 2007 @ 5:44 pm
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Good One Sig….Try Pho after a heavy alcohol intake.

Pho.. that is a good idea… My hangover cure is a big plate of eggs, sausage, hashbrowns etc… some real greasy food…
Rajitha
November 8th, 2007 @ 6:30 pm
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you bet..i think all the alcohol will be evaporated from the hot-air some gourmets exude…jeeves was teling me he went out for dinner with some of his collegues at work in chicago and a guy supposedly was all oooh and aah and closing his eyes and enjoying the food in a manner that it seemed he was making out with it

the 5 items i want….not an easy task miss zillionaire…

mamzhayam morukootan
olan
applam
cut mango pickle
yogurt – home made

i know the type… I like to watch them in restaurants too… I will have what he is having so no carbs for you, huh?
Rajitha
November 8th, 2007 @ 7:04 pm
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and btw rice is a free side according to me..not an option..pleeese

no way… u already got ur five tough luck darling!
Sudha
November 8th, 2007 @ 8:10 pm
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Hi Sig, Thought provoking question!!! You have a really great blog!! The five items that I would take with me are:

1. Roti – Hmmm, longer shelf life, maybe
2. Channa masala – Need my protein
3. Vegetable pulav – Need my veggies and carbs
4. Avocados – just because I just love them and eat them raw :drool: . Also, they are extremely good for you
5. Yogurt – Well, south Indians absolutely need yogurt to complete their meal!!!

Hi Sudha, thanks and welcome to my blog… Nice list, but don’t worry about shelf life… the zillionaire can fly in fresh ingredients from the mainland everyday…
Sudha
November 8th, 2007 @ 8:13 pm
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OOps, My emoticons didn’t show up correctly!!! Oh, well…

don’t worry, they are fixed… An extra space after does the trick…
Jai
November 8th, 2007 @ 8:57 pm
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alright…here goes. back to basics for me!

hot rice with plain dal (toor) with little bit of ghee and salt

yogurt which I like to have with pickle (mango or lime would fit the bill)

okra/vendekkai/bhindi stir fry. has to be fresh not frozen

hot rasam – served as soup on the beginning with some appalam or banana chips

red chard/spinach molakootal

kaju or pista katli

i’ll be stuffed..but then there wouldnt be much to do in a deserted island but “eat till you are sleepy and sleep till you are hungry”. wait a minute – where have I heard that before

hmm… I liked how you sneaked nine items in Jai! And yeah, won’t it be a great life to just sleep and eat the whole day?
CW
November 8th, 2007 @ 10:08 pm
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I absolutely detest all those fancy-schmancy restaurants esp if they insist on small portions. (I know of a couple that cater to my gargantuan appetite.)
My pick would be these: white rice, chow-chow morkozhambu, aviyal, curd, with vazhakkai chips a la Grand Sweets (now there’s a challenge for the chef!) And Tamizh actor Surya for dessert (hey u didn’t say no cannibalistic food allowed did ya?!)

I love the small plates restaurants, just get more plates … but I detest those who like only the fancy-schmancy restaurants. Oh what a great idea for a dessert… You go girl!
Archana, mama of twins
November 8th, 2007 @ 10:23 pm
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white rice with ghee and mango pickles
yogurt (plain)
bananas
potato pallya
tomato rasam

i am usually a foodie with occasional gourmet splurges.. my comfort foods listed above

that is me too… occasional gourmet splurges is what we need…
sia
November 9th, 2007 @ 2:16 am
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i am a foodie for sure… so my picks are
1. rosmatta rice with ganji, pickle and ghee
2. white rice with yogurt and pickle
3. hot and spicy rasam
4. cabbage and peas palya
5. ice cream (i will surely need a big family pack in that lonely island)
oh!!! and i want that chef to be my Amma

Nice list sup, and yeah I didn’t say you can’t pick ur own chef, so you win
Rachel
November 9th, 2007 @ 3:41 am
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Am definitely a foodie..and definitely would want rice,pickle(any),parippu curry,papadam or chips and chocolates or cheesecake..

Another list of comfort foods, and sounds delicious!
Asha
November 9th, 2007 @ 5:54 am
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Happy Deepavali sweetheart, just going thru’ the blogroll quickly today so I start cooking!:))

I always liked Chapatis, so…
Chaptatis
Aloo Palya
coconut chutney!

I am set for life!;D

Short and simple, love it Hope you and family had a great diwali Asha!
RP
November 9th, 2007 @ 6:09 am
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I have seen the same question somewhere else, also another one that asks for what would be your meal if it is your last meal! And sig, my pick would be almost same as yours. Rice(that has to be rose matta), Spicy red fish curry, Pulisseri, Some sauted greens, and for dessert, a ripe mango!
And a question to you, sig, why are your posts appearing twice in food blog desam?

Last meal is easier I guess…. I might go for a gourmet splurge there, but eating everyday has to be comfort food…

Oh and about the posts, I had my old blogger RSS feed already configured, and after I moved to wordpress I have a new rss url… Now I have the old one working as well, I am guessing that is the reason for two… Or may be my posts are really worth two entries
richa
November 9th, 2007 @ 6:19 am
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rice/dal/chole/paneer/dahi and some local fruits from the island
ur chef better know his paneer well

oh these are personalized chefs Richa, so they will be specialized in your picks
sra
November 9th, 2007 @ 8:09 am
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Fresh salad, fried prawns, fresh cut fruit … hope the salad and fruit change every day

So you don’t need any carbs… there is going to be one thin girl after a year on the island
TBC
November 9th, 2007 @ 9:10 am
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I don’t even have to think for this one!

Curd/yogurt
Rice(Basmati only pls- I hate Kerala rice )
Pickle
Pappadam

There u go!…I actually need only four

Rice, curd , pickle , pappadam… I can have that any day too…
mandira
November 9th, 2007 @ 10:36 am
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That is a tough one…
my pick would be:
Sarse ilish, Dal, bhaat with ghee and mango achar, Sushi [considering I am so close to sea;)], fruit and sweets. There, I think I’ve included most of them.
Happy Diwali to you and your family Sig!

Sushi… Do I see the traces of a gourmet? But you are right though, the sushi is guaranteed to be fresh
sandeepa
November 9th, 2007 @ 11:47 am
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Only one meal for the rest of my life…..are you kidding me ??????
I would rather ask for roasted quail and die that very day than eat one meal for rest of my life

BTW I prefer Foodie, gormands cannot hog

that is a good way to look at it… Love that answer Sandeepa…
sandeepa
November 9th, 2007 @ 11:49 am
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And who is THIS Sra ( ) who wants to eat fresh salad every day…is she the same foodie blogger who cooks sumptuous meals at her blog. Don’t believe this

I know, I was shocked too
Latha
November 9th, 2007 @ 1:54 pm
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I like this good one Sig. I like what Jai said “Eat till you’re ready to sleep and sleep till you’re hungry again” My kinda life
I would want:

Chapathis
Vegetable Kurma
Rice
Tadka Dal or Sambar (the chef can pick what he feels liek cookign that day)
Aloo Fry
Rasmalai

if nothing of the above (if cook wants a break)
then Maggi Noodles

Love this game!

Nice list Latha, but unfortunately the chef doesn’t get a break…
Latha
November 9th, 2007 @ 1:56 pm
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I love CW’s desert idea… did’nt know i could go Cannibilistic… I would take Hritik Roshan .. oh wait… maybe George Clooney or maybe Brad Pitt
Shoot its easier to pick food!

Isn’t she a clever one? Seriously it is going to be tough to pick the same “desert” for everyday… wait we already did that…
Latha
November 9th, 2007 @ 1:57 pm
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Oh BTW no gourmet for me! I’m downright dirty – i love street food! and I love food

downright dirty, huh? I got that from the previous comment Latha
Kelly Mahoney
November 9th, 2007 @ 2:51 pm
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Interesting posting.

I struggle with this thought because I don’t want my serious foodie friends to look at my blog and think that I’m some unrefined schmuck because I like home-cooked comfort food, diner dishes and fast food next to high-end stuff. If I have to choose five foods, I’d go with:
Salmon nigiri
Yellowtail nigiri
Volcano sashimi roll
Veggie sashimi roll
Edamame

You get some carbs, protein and veggies in there but aren’t stuffing yourself. I’d choose different things but then it wouldn’t be a cohesive meal.

Hey Kelly, welcome to my blog… Nice spread… You know those serious foodie friends who would call you an unrefined schmuck would in fact be craving for some of those comfort food.. Let’s stick them in a desserted island and see what they ask for
bee
November 9th, 2007 @ 3:35 pm
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my comment got eaten.

i think if you like french food, you’re a gourmet and if you prefer other stuff, you’re considered a hoi polloi foodie.
bullcrap if you ask me.

my favourites:
hummus, pita, felafels and baba ghanouj

or

khichdi, kadhi, pickle and salad.

Sorry abt the commet bee… I have been getting a lot of spam lately!
Why can’t someone like french food, and greasy french fries at the same time, right?
Rachna
November 10th, 2007 @ 1:21 am
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heeee sig…. without a doubt…my last meal on the planet wud be pizza….

you can put all your veggies, paneer and cheese as a topping

you can use wholewheat, brown or white flour for the pizza bases…. Yes):

you could have have a zillion typa tomato or white sauce option that go under the toppings….. :party:

on a pizza and have a complete meal….!!! :drool:

if i want something sweet…i wud have sweet pizza…. there’s endless combinations… i wud try the local tropical fruit and veggies on the pizza too, haaaaa

oh so you love pizza huh? But you smart gal, your chef is not going to put different topings for you different days… You are going to be stuck with same sauces and toppings for the rest of your life…
Happy Cook
November 10th, 2007 @ 5:58 am
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Nice post.
Easy to pick
I would take Rice
dal curry
Mango Pickles
Coconut chammathi, not the wattery one but the thick one Like they do in Kerala like a ball
And heaps of Kapalandi muttai

oh how did I forget chammanthi… I want to add manga chammanthi to my list
Pravs
November 10th, 2007 @ 9:35 am
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Nice post.I perfer to be a foodie all the way.
Struck in an Island…like you i would go for rice(rosematta,spicy meen curry(fresh catch of the day),then your pavakka-dry chemmeen thoran..absolutely love it…then papadam and little thayir

I think we can share a chef then Pravs… I can save some $$$
Miri
November 10th, 2007 @ 11:10 am
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Didnt even have to think much for this –

khichdi,rasam, thogayal,cabbage porial,curd(by the bowlfuls!)

Now let me see what the others want, hopefully I wont be the only one craving comfort food!

Raji

Don’t worry Raji… Everyone picked comfort food… It is great to know I am not the only one…
Mamatha
November 10th, 2007 @ 12:54 pm
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Hmm … that’s a toughie.

Shawarma
Mutton (goat-meat) biriyani
Shrimp fry
Vennai/butter murukku
Flourless Chocolate cake

But if I ate all this heart-clogging goodness everyday, I doubt if I’ll last long enough to get bored of it.

Maybe this list will do:

Rice
Vegetables (cooked in any regional Indian style – am i cheating here?)
Chappathi
Dal (again, any Indian style)
Yoghurt

stick with the first list Mamatha… You are alone in an island afterall… who cares if you are fat… Unless u picked some nice dessert like CW or Latha here
musy
November 10th, 2007 @ 1:12 pm
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Hey Sig, i am definitely a foodie and i just can’t tolerate snobbery OMG, i have to control myself on this, but i can rant on and on…..as for my favorite food, i would really want to have anything prepared by my Mom . Its tough question yaar! But in the interest of long term survival, i’d want some rice, beans, greens and fruit plus dahi .

I know it is a tough question… but glad to see everyone playing along…
Anita
November 10th, 2007 @ 10:01 pm
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Rice (err, I think white ), haak, dahi, fish curry with kohlrabi and lotus root, rajma – on these I could live forever!

Yeah,I too thought the word was ‘gourmand’ for people who appreciate good food… whatever… the language keeps evolving, faster when you live outside Britain!

Ok, before I send you to the island, I need the recipe for the fish curry with kohlrabi and lotus root… or may be its in your blog? I will go hunt for it
Swati : Sugarcraftindia
November 11th, 2007 @ 12:06 am
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Mmm…really difficult to decide coz you wanna eat different things all the time…Still, would go with basmati rice, matar masala, arhar dal, aaloo posto, n something sweet…like a small slice of cake

Hi Swati, welcome to my blog… Yeah, the point was to make it a difficult game, but glad to see everyone picked some form of comfort food
nandita
November 11th, 2007 @ 10:04 pm
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What gourmet and gourmand :sleepy:

Proud to be a foodie – my list would go like this

Potato roast curry
Sambhar with any veggies
White rice
banana chips or appalam or my mom’s homemade vethal
Yogurt

ALl the food that will remind me of home- and now where’s my Martini): ??

Oh I forgot to mention Martini): and Beer): will be flowing like mud
sra
November 12th, 2007 @ 12:03 am
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Sig, Sandeepa, I genuinely genuinely love salad. And I’m one of those types that will still be plump after a year on it!

I love salad too… but eating it every day… But to each its own right? I will get my chef on it
Cynthia
November 12th, 2007 @ 7:45 pm
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I’m a foodie all the way and I also enjoy gourmet food.

My five items would be: white rice, dhal, curried fish, fried okras and coconut water. :drool:

ooh coconut water, a great idea.. and it is free on my island
Shantanu
November 13th, 2007 @ 2:14 am
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Looks like I have a lot of catching up to do on my blog-surfing.

Hmmm… At heart I guess I am still very Indian (especially if I have to choose a meal that will last a lifetime!). I choose naan, kababs, biryani, rabdi, and maybe some veggie raita. Since I am on an island, I guess all the hard work building shelters, etc., will take care of the calories.

Aren’t we all… (Indian at heart that is… ) everyone picked some comfort food they’ve grown up with…
spice lover
November 19th, 2007 @ 4:05 am
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Hmm…
guess foodie is a Joey and gourmet is a Frasier or his brother… havnet heard of the word gourmand though.

my 5 would def have to include coffee… if that counts.

coffee
chocolate cake (i dont want to die without my fav cofi n cake)
kerala parotta
veg kurma
achappam (my fav snack. the only one that i cant stop eating)
Archana
November 26th, 2007 @ 3:57 pm
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Good one !
The moment i land on a deserted island, i will place orders for the following !

Rice-rose matta
Koorkka mezhukkupuratti
Red fish curry
Pulissery
Cheera thoran
( An uninterrupted everyday supply of Tiramisu will be much appreciated.
Srivalli
February 14th, 2008 @ 2:24 am
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Sig not sure how I missed this post..ah.. now I remember we were out of town…well I guess its better late than never to think about our specific meal right! :drool:

I am more a foodie…so my choices will be (since I can choose my chef, it naturally be my mother.. )

Rava dosa and Idly with Sambar and coconut chutney for breakfast

White Rice with Podi, ghee and Dal with touchings of appalams to finish off with home made dahi top on Avvakkai for lunch :nerd:

Paneer Butter masala with Butter Naans finished off with chocolate icrecream topped with chocolate sauce.

After a heavy meal like this I won’t have space nor enery for desserts what latha or Cw asked for. That kind of desserts I might want during mid day..

Well you did say one meal but never said we can’t choose for different times of the day right…and I do hope you being the zillionaire would have flowing supply of chocolate Milkshake with Chocolate sauce, won’t ya?? Beer): ..hey I meant milkshake and not beer…

Well, well, well… Look who is trying to find loopholes in the system… .:D And mid-day “desserts” sound awesome … you are my kinda gal…
Bijus
May 24th, 2009 @ 3:07 am
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i would go for rice, fish curry, van payar thoran, mathi varuthathu, and kizhangu mezhukkupuratty
sparky
July 7th, 2010 @ 11:49 am
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gourmet — someone of refined taste

foodie — derivative post-internet word dragging down culture, language and cuisine —

sleep til your hungry, eat til your sleepy = get really monstrously obese like an enourmous hog —

have fun in dream world kiddies