'Housemade' the Latest Word in Fine Dining

A word that isn’t yet in the dictionary has been cropping up on menus across America: “housemade” is the new trend. Don’t confuse it with “homemade,” which has lost its buzz and now suggests an unprofessional cook or a hokey menu-writer. “Housemade has more cachet,” one restaurateur tells Newsweek.

story continues below

Is this just a matter of linguistic pretension? The author of The Food Snob’s Dictionary doesn't think so. “They’re not only preparing the food, they’re also preparing the ingredients that go into it—and that’s a good thing.” The adjective is, however, likely to bestow a higher price tag on the food it describes. (Read more linguistics stories.)