Food porn

A "cock and balls doughnut" from Voodoo Doughnuts in Portland, Oregon has cream filled "balls"

Food porn is a provocative 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 content^[1], exotic dishes that arouse a desire to eat^[2] or the glorification of food as a substitute for sex.^[3]

In the United Kingdom,^{[citation needed]} food porn is usually acknowledged as advertisements where food is presented in an 'arousing' manner, for example; with water dripping from it in order to imitate a person with sweat dripping from them.

In the United States, food porn is a term applied when "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".^[1] The origin of the term was attributed to the Center for Science in the Public Interest^[1] which began publishing a regular column called "Right Stuff vs. Food Porn" for its Nutrition Action Healthletter in January 1998.^[4][5]

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.^{[citation needed]} 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.^{[citation needed]}

Jim Lahey, owner and executive baker/chef at Sullivan Street Bakery and Co. Restaurant, was one of the first chefs to bring the term to the culinary scene on his website launched in 1996.

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".^[6][7][8]

Blogging

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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. 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. On the internet, these images often exist alongside thinspiration images on pro-ana and other sites and online eating disorder communities.

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.

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.

See also

• Food stylist
• Pornography

References

Hertneky, Paul (August 2006) More Than a Mouthful[1], Popmatters.com

External links

• ThisisWhyYou'reFat.com
• www.TasteSpotting.com
• The Food Pornographer
• Eatbite
• FoodPorn.com
• Foodista.com
• Pornois Promo TV 2009