I often wonder what a food entrepreneur is thinking when he/she puts the word “Gourmet” in their name? What does it mean to most people, anyway? According to the Wikidictionary, “gourmet” means “fine”, which is pretty far afield from its etymological root. The dictionary goes on to say “Gourmet has become somewhat debased by marketing usage, and is considered by some a pretentious middlebrow term. Such users tend to prefer terms such as artisanal (emphasizing the craft) for fine food.” That latter explanation makes more sense these days, I would guess.
In any case, the local chain “Pizzicato” is fond of the word ‘gourmet’, and in their case, I suspect they believe it refers to both the ‘artisanal’ making and the ingredients used. They tout their crust as one special aspect, buying flour only from the Pendleton Flour Mill in Eastern Oregon. Mrs. BDB was in a mood to order in last night, and usually pizza is not on her ordering radar, any more than burgers are, but I suspect her choice was motivated at least partially because it’s my birthday this week, and she likes to make me especially happy during the anniversary of my entry into humankind. (Mostly because she believes when I was born, pizza hadn’t been invented yet).
