Like most people with an internet connection, I spent a few distracted moments this week perusing Merriam-Webster’s excellent Time Traveler feature, in which users can discover which words entered the English lexicon by year. (Merriam-Webster explains date are “first known use,” meaning while certain words may have older histories, the dates represent the first time words were recorded in print.)

　　Naturally, I gravitated to words related to food and drink, and I’ve spent the last hour rounding those words back to 1960 (the feature goes as far back to pre-12th century; Papa Bear’s got other things to do). Take a look below, but a number of points jumped out:

　　I’m surprised by how late and how early certain words entered the English lexicon. “Panettone” in 1994?! “Umami” in 1963?! I suppose appearing in print is different from becoming part of everyday vernacular.The 1970s was the golden age of new food words appearing in the English language. “Veggie burger” entered in 1972. “String cheese” in 1974. “Fork-tender” in 1973. “Food court” in 1979! The one unfortunate byproduct came in 1970, with the appearance of the shorthand for pizza: “za.”There’s so much to extrapolate. It seems like an obvious point, but it’s utterly fascinating to me seeing how certain food words and when it entered the language reflected the culture of the moment. “Chinese restaurant syndrome” ushered in the MSG scare that continues today. The 1970s saw Asian dishes entering the mainstream. In the late ’70s and early ’80s, words such as “bad cholesterol,” “canola,” “glycemic index,” and “sucralose” were ushered in around the same time diet foods started taking off.“Foodie” first saw print in 1980. [Sigh.]In any case, thank you to Merriam-Webster for wasting our time in the most educational way possible.

　　2005: Locavore

　　2002: Goji berry

　　1998: Microgreen

　　1997: Toothfish

　　1994: Panettone

　　1993: Santoku

　　1992: EVOO

　　1991: Arnold Palmer (the drink), brain freeze

　　1990: Farro

　　1989: Caffeinate, queso, Vietnamese cinnamon

　　1988: Food desert, functional food, mad cow disease

　　1987: Beer goggles, macchiato

　　1986: Portobello, sippy cup, sous vide

　　1985: Ciabatta, chiltepin, microbrew, sucralose

　　1984: Cremini, sriracha

　　1983: Asian pear, brewpub, carbo-load, gel ice, guac, kettle chip, piehole

　　1982: Barista, food secure, frisée, microbrewery, tiramisu, Yukon Gold

　　1981: Canola oil, European flat oyster, glycemic index

　　1980: Foodie, gingko biloba, ziplock

　　1979: Canola, California roll, food court, Napa cabbage, orange roughy, sugar snap pea, tiger shrimp

　　1978: Agritourism, caprese, curly endive, duck sauce, kalamata, pad Thai, snap pea, trans fat

　　1977: Bad cholesterol, bibimbap, brewski, carne asada, cheesesteak, food insecure, ganache, good cholesterol, hanger steak, lotte, menu-driven, yuzu, zuke

　　1976: Arborio rice, extra-virgin, fern bar, kung pao, mesclun, trail mix, waitperson, white zinfandel

　　1975: Cotija, crème anglaise, game hen, hand blender, nouvelle cuisine, spaghetti squash, sports bar

　　1974: Carpaccio, chai, gratinée, megavitamins, snow crab, string cheese

　　1973: Antarctic toothfish, beefalo, food processor, fork-tender, orecchiette, rock shrimp, surimi

　　1972: Beer pong, habanero, Italian parsley, masa harina, serrano, tomatoey, veggie burger

　　1971: Beaujolais nouveau, cooking spray, fajita, food bank, gyro, jug wine, lacto-vegetarian, minibar, pinot grigio, sell-by date

　　1970: Chimichanga, comfort food, granola, harissa, Hunan, lo mein, mochi, self-catering, za, zero-waste

　　1969: Cold duck

　　1968: Charbroil, Chinese restaurant syndrome, seitan, single malt

　　1967: Dietary supplement, fry-up, muffuletta, omega-3, she-crab, zester

　　1966: Alfredo sauce, crisphead, gelée, gochujang, ponzu, ranch dressing, tamarillo

　　1965: Kiwifruit, schmear, tamari

　　1964: Barf bag, carryout, drink-driving, miracle fruit, soul food, table sugar, xanthan gum

　　1963: Snarf, umami, Wagyu

　　1962: Belgian waffle, carbonara, ramen, salsa, yakitori

　　1961: Mai-tai, Nantua sauce, surf and turf, toaster oven

　　1960: Arugula, crudités, junk food, mayo, tzatziki