Food porn

Food porn is a sarcastic term variously applied to a spectacular visual presentation of cooking or eating in advertisements, infomercials, cooking shows or other visual media, foods boasting a high fat and calorie contentcite news|last=Davis|first=Simon|url=http://www.telegraph.co.uk/htmlContent.jhtml?html=/archive/2000/05/10/wfat10.html|title=Unhealthy eating is new fad in US|publisher=|The Telegraph|date=2000-05-10|accessdate=2008-04-04] , exotic dishes that arouse a desire to eat [cite journal|title=Beyond Food/Sex: Eating and an Ethics of Existence|last=Probyn|first=Elspeth|journal=Theory, Culture & Society|volume=16|issue=2|pages=215–228|date=1999|doi=10.1177/02632769922050485] or the glorification of food as a substitute for sex. [cite news|last=Bourdain|first=Anthony|title=Food Porn: Lust for the gastronomic--from Zola to cookbooks--is nothing new, but maybe it's time to shelve it|url=http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/chronicle/archive/2001/11/04/RV201066.DTL|publisher=San Francisco Chronicle|date=2001-11-04|accessdate=2008-04-04]

In the United Kingdom,Fact|date=July 2007 food porn is usually acknowledged as advertisements where food is presented in an 'arousing' manner, with water dripping from it in order to imitate a person with sweat dripping from them. Infomercials that include these techniques are most notably the food advertisements from the Marks and Spencers advertisement campaign.

In the United States, food porn is a term applied "food manufacturers are capitalising on a backlash against low-calorie and diet foods by marketing treats that boast a high fat content and good artery-clogging potential". The origin of the term was attributed to the Center for Science in the Public Interest which has had a regular column called "Right Stuff vs. Food Porn" in its Nutrition Action Healthletter since at least April 1998. [cite web|url=http://www.cspinet.org/nah/april98back.htm|title=April '98 Right Stuff vs. Food Porn|publisher=Center for Science in the Public Interest]

In popular culture

The most notable example may be Iron Chef, which has little practical value, but scores remarkably high on the visual spectacle of cooking, cooking implements, ingredients, and final presentation. In much the same way that pornography can be a vicarious substitute for actual sexual relations, "food porn" is seen as a substitute for actually cooking and eating the food in question. Similarly, in much the same way that pornography may display feats of performance that average people would not attempt, "food porn" sometimes features exotic ingredients and excessively elaborate recipes and preparation.

Another possible meaning is referring to the attractiveness and presentation style of some cooking show hosts, such as Nigella Lawson or Giada De Laurentiis. Nigella Lawson has become renowned for her flirtatious manner of presentation, and the perceived overt sexuality of her presentation style has led to her being labelled by several commentators as the "queen of food porn".cite news|last=Sands|first=Sarah|url=http://www.dailymail.co.uk/pages/live/femail/article.html?in_article_id=420003&in_page_id=1879 |title=I don't want to be some kitchen blow-up sex doll|publisher="The Daily Mail"|date=2006-12-01|accessdate=2008-02-22] [cite news|last=Duff|first=Oliver|title=Davis awaits 'chat' with researcher's lawyers|publisher="The Independent"|url=http://www.independent.co.uk/opinion/columnists/pandora/davis-awaits-chat-with-researchers-lawyers-457957.html|date=2007-07-20|accessdate=2008-04-01] [cite news|last=Gaudron|first=Melissa|title=Nigella Feasts|url=http://www.theage.com.au/news/tv-reviews/nigella-feasts/2007/11/20/1195321761821.html|publisher="The Age"|date=2007-11-20|accessdate=2008-04-01]

Blogging

Food porn has become particularly prevalent in blogs relating to food, where it is a term for photography and writing about food that is done in a decadent and borderline erotic style. Some major examples include [http://foodpornwatch.arrr.net Food Porn Watch] [http://www.foodporn.com FoodPorn.com] , [http://www.slashfood.com Slashfood.com] , and [http://www.tastespotting.com www.TasteSpotting.com] . A number of LiveJournal communities exist for food porn, often geared towards more specific audiences or types of food porn.

Apart from deliberately sensual photography and description, the practice of simply posting photos for the target community to "lust" after is common in various internet subcultures that have a focus on food. For example, aficionados of specific culinary styles, such as vegan or Japanese cuisine, will share, admire, discuss, and draw inspiration from the photos (in keeping with the pornography metaphor, these preferences can be likened to niches or fetishes). The term "food porn" receives mostly tongue-in-cheek usage in these groups due to the lack of any truly sexual/erotic bent in the discussion (and actual pornography arguably does not inspire discussion as a primary response); it is a way for culinary hobbyists to poke good-natured fun at themselves.

Less well-known is the popularity of food porn amongst eating-disordered bloggers. Most often, the porn features items considered off-limits, such as fast food and desserts; the responses include disgust, determination, longing, and satisfaction (often to the puzzlement of non eating-disordered persons), as though seeing the photos is a consequence-free substitute for actually eating the foods pictured. Others take pride in being able to view tempting foods and not give in; in a related vein, among bulimic users, the food porn is often preceded with a "binge trigger warning" for the benefit of those wishing to avoid any temptation that might kick-start a binge-purge cycle.

Food porn and junk food

The term is also sometimes used to refer to food that is very high in calories or a poor nutritional choice, but nevertheless extremely enjoyable. In this way, it is synonymous with junk food. Fast food and sweets are primary examples of junk food. This usage is favoured, and perhaps coined, by the Center for Science in the Public Interest.

Actual pornography

The term may also refer to pornography in which sexual games are played with food items. Such pornography appears to be quite popular in Japan. An example of this is the film "Tampopo" by Juzo Itami.

In the West, the film "9½ Weeks" started a (mostly short-lived) fad of incorporating food into erotic play. This was spoofed in "Hot Shots!" See also wet and messy fetishism.

ee also

* Food stylist
* Pornography

References

External links

* [http://www.tastespotting.com www.TasteSpotting.com]
* [http://www.thefoodpornographer.com The Food Pornographer]