Musings

Musings: "Toothsome"

Last updated on October 20, 2010 by Liza Hawkins

Merriam-Webster.com defines “Toothsome” here:
Main Entry: tooth·some
Pronunciation: \ˈtüth-səm\
Function: adjective
Date: 1551
2
: of palatable flavor and pleasing texture : delicious <crisp toothsome fried chicken>
— tooth·some·ly adverb
— tooth·some·ness noun

I’ve been hearing this word, toothsome, a lot lately on food shows. Typically, it’s in reference to a texture…as in, “The quinoa you cooked is too crunchy, and while it should be toothsome, this is undercooked.”

Huh. I decided to look up the definition, because that made it sound specifically like a substitute for “al dente” or “crispy” or even “crunchy.” But really, that’s not quite right.

Toothsome = of palatable flavor and pleasing texture.

So, to me that means either:

1. It’s cooked properly

OR

2. The texture feels good when you eat it

What do you think?

Hi, I'm Liza — a self-proclaimed word-nerd who loves getting lost in whimsical stories and epic movies. I have laid-back, practical attitude towards life and am always on the hunt for good eats, easy recipes, binge-worthy shows, relaxing road trip destinations, the perfect fizzy gin cocktail, and time to finish my novel!

4 Comments on “Musings: "Toothsome"

  1. I think in the context of your example, the person was just using the general delicious or tasty definition of the word.

    I’ve described people as toothsome before, but never actually used it for food.

  2. That example happened to be the last one I heard…I think it was from an episode of “Chopped.” But, yes, I’ve also heard toothsome used more to describe people.

    Ashley – generally, I would say that something that tastes good is by default cooked correctly.

    Erica – LOL

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