A plaque remaining from the Big Apple Night Club at West 135th Street and Seventh Avenue in Harlem.

Above, a 1934 plaque from the Big Apple Night Club at West 135th Street and Seventh Avenue in Harlem. Discarded as trash in 2006. Now a Popeyes fast food restaurant on Google Maps.

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Entry from May 03, 2013
Food Rake (fork nickname)

The NBC comedy television series Parks and Recreation, in a show that aired April 21, 2011, had the character Tom Haverford (played by Aziz Ansari) reveal many of his slang names for food and food items. At the end of the list, he said, “And I call forks—food rakes.” A book published in 2011 contained similar language: “Or would use curious clusters like my food-rake when he meant my fork.”
 
“Food rake” achieved instant popularity in April 2011. Since then, however, “food rake” has been seldom cited in print.
 
   
Google Books
The Diviner’s Tale
By Bradford Morrow
New York, NY: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company
2011
Pg. ?:
Or would use curious clusters like my food-rake when he meant my fork, or basement ovenforfurnace.
   
TV Fanatic
Parks and Recreation Review: “Soulmates”
Season 3, Episode 10
Air Date: 04/21/11
April 22nd, 2011 6:30 AM by Nick McHatton
(...)
Other thoughts:
Tom’s slang for everything he likes are some of the funniest “Tom-isms” he’s doled out yet. Who else needs a food rake?
   
Vulture.com
4/27/11 at 2:00 PM
Amy Poehler and Aziz Ansari Talk About the Origins of Chickie-Chickie Parm-Parm
By Jada Yuan and Catherine Coreno
(...)
How did Tom Haverford’s food naming come about?
Poehler: Isn’t that great. [Tells friend.] Last episode of Parks, Aziz did this run, the character of Tom did this run where he, like, talked about how he shortens everything. He calls appetizers “apps” and desserts “zerts,” and he goes on this run where he calls root beer “super water” and—fuck, I wish I remembered more … they’re so good — chicken parm is “chickie-chickie parm-parm” and “chicken catch” is chicken cacciatore and it ends with forks as “food rakes.” They’re so stupid. But there was a long run of it.
   
Time magazine
Wednesday Words: Royal Riddle, Trump Titles, “Food Rakes” and More
By Katy Steinmetz April 27, 2011
(...)
Best new culinary slang: food rakes (meaning forks)
In the latest episode of Parks and Recreation, NBC’s Amy Poehler-led comedy that is so hot right now, comedian Aziz Ansari’s hilariously sleazy character breaks down his overwrought lingo for all things related to eating. Toward the end of the list, we get to this gem. Because, really, what is a fork but a highly maneuverable little rake that gathers food and piles it in your belly?
   
YouTube
Food rake
fourb00
Uploaded on Oct 29, 2011
Food rake
 
GeekSparkle
I call forks- food rakes
Posted on September 17, 2012 by geeksparkle
“I’ll be back after dinner,” I said.
 
Twitter
Hola Paola :D
‏@PaolaD00D
Fork = food rake
8:54 PM - 17 Jan 13

Posted by Barry Popik
New York CityFood/Drink • Friday, May 03, 2013 • Permalink


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