Food porn
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Food Porn is a term for a spectacular visual presentation of cooking or eating in adverts, infomercials, cooking shows or other visual media. In the UK Food porn is usually acknowledged as advertisiments 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 advertisments from the Marks and Spencers advertisment campaign.
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[edit] 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 of some cooking show hosts, such as Nigella Lawson, Giada De Laurentiis or Rachael Ray, leading some to watch just because they like looking at them.
[edit] Blogging
Food porn has become particularly prevalent in food blogging, 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 Food Porn Watch [1] and FoodPorn.com [2], 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 kickstart a binge-purge cycle.
[edit] 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. This usage is favored, and perhaps coined, by the Center for Science in the Public Interest.
[edit] 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. A brilliant example of this is evidenced in 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.
In an odd connection, comedian Louis C.K. once commented that, "For sex, there's masturbation, but for food, there's nothing. You don't watch Food Network, like..." then he demonstrates "oral masturbation" by rubbing his tongue, and going "oh, yeah".
The comedian Jim Gaffigan also once made a similar joke, stating that, "When you're hungry, the Food Network is like porn."
