Anagrams: From Food to Food

Question

A challenge a friend and I came up with to entertain ourselves, but found a little too taxing:

Find 5 single word foods (i.e. comestibles or dishes) whose letters can be reshuffled to give another single word food.

We managed to find two:

LEMON <--> MELON
PASTA <--> TAPAS

It seems somewhat nontrivial to find any more! Another that was thought of was MASH <--> HAMS, but we didn't really count it due to the unnatural pluralisation of ham (whereas tapas is naturally a plural in the English vernacular). One more example of a disallowed solution is SCONE <--> CONES, due to the vagueness of cones (and again, a pluralisation - but chiefly the former).

Any ideas? Thanks

Edit: A few people are including beverages - my intention was to exclude these from the 'food' world.

You should consider a no computer Tag. There are Anagram Solvers on the Net which only require putting any word in and instantly gives the anagrams — DrD, Jul 24 '18 at 10:47
I suppose if there was a ready database of all edibles/dishes, a quick script could be written. — Sachin Valera, Jul 24 '18 at 11:35
@DEEM Personally I think it would be very interesting to see a full list of solutions that a computer script can generate. — Sanchises, Jul 26 '18 at 12:58
Oh, no, I meant steamed MASH, that's what I call mashed potatos. It's a regional dialect. — Thomas Blue, Nov 19 '18 at 09:11

Gareth McCaughan · Accepted Answer · 2018-07-24T00:49:56.717

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Here are three pretty decent ones to take you up to five:

SKATE (a kind of fish) and STEAK.
COLLOPS (= slices of meat, usually found in plural) and SCOLLOP (a less common but acceptable spelling of SCALLOP).
RAPE (the root of the turnip; also another related plant from which cooking oil is made) and PEAR.

These are pushing it a bit:

CHILI (hot pepper or a dish made therefrom, though CHILLI is a better spelling) and LICHI (an unusual spelling of LYCHEE or LITCHI, an aromatic Chinese fruit).
MARG (short for MARGARINE) and GRAM (as in gram flour, used for making papadums and the like).

And I think these are clearly impermissible:

EDAM (a Dutch cheese) and MEAD (an alcoholic drink rather than a food).
GRAIN (wheat, barley, oats, etc.) and GARNI (as in BOUQUET GARNI, but I don't think anyone uses that abbreviation).
DOSA (a kind of Indian bread) and SODA (a drink, or a kind of bread -- but that's definitely called SODA BREAD, not just SODA).

edited Jul 24 '18 at 00:49

answered Jul 24 '18 at 00:27

Gareth McCaughan

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Dosa and Soda is a valid pair. Being an India, I testify :) – Tejasva Dhyani Jul 24 '18 at 03:56
Love it, scollop especially. Also I'd count dosa seeing as soda can also mean sodium bicarbonate, a commonplace baking ingredient! – Sachin Valera Jul 24 '18 at 11:37
I'm inclined to rule SODA as valid because 'a soda' is 'a softdrink' in some English-speaking countries and similarly MEAD as Google's dictionary example for the adjective comestible is 'coffee, tea'... but indeed it is 'comestible' (comer= to eat) not 'beverage' or 'potable'. – user3445853 Jul 25 '18 at 09:47
The puzzle specifically asked for food rather than drink which is why I think SODA is impermissible. – Gareth McCaughan Jul 25 '18 at 09:48
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"What did you have for dinner?" "Just some skate and rape..." – ESR Jul 26 '18 at 02:24
Hey, don't blame me for the fact that some words have two very different meanings. – Gareth McCaughan Jul 26 '18 at 08:09
@EdmundReed i laughed way too hard. – Quintec Jul 27 '18 at 01:21

hat · Answer 2 · 2018-11-19T08:46:52.240

21

This is a surprisingly hard task. I managed to find just three so far.

1.

Sloe (wild plum) --> Sole (fish)

2.

Samp (South African corn dish) --> Spam (processed meat)

3.

Gota (Indian dish) --> Goat (you know, the maa-ing type :D )

edited Nov 19 '18 at 08:46

answered Jul 24 '18 at 08:39

hat

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Impressive solutions! – Sachin Valera Jul 24 '18 at 11:38
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New pair added. – hat Jul 26 '18 at 12:58

score 12 · Answer 3 · answered Jul 24 '18 at 15:11

12

I think this may count:

CASSEROLE ( a large, deep dish used both in the oven and as a serving vessel. The word is also used for the food cooked and served in such a vessel)
ESCAROLES (escarole is also called broad-leaved endive)

answered Jul 24 '18 at 15:11

Matt Hogan-Jones

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Hmm...it depends. The OP excluded Mash <--> Hams because of the pluralisation, and the same thing is happening here. Congratulations on making such a long one, though! – hat Jul 24 '18 at 15:15
@Jǝssǝ ah snap, I was so excited about thinking of that one I forgot about the pluralisation. And thinking about it, I wouldn't have a plate of escaroles, I'd have a plate of escarole. I'll delete if necessary (my first answer here, so if that's the accepted etiquette I'll remove it). – Matt Hogan-Jones Jul 24 '18 at 15:20
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Terribly sorry to disappoint you, I know the feeling. I think you can leave your answer here, though. You certainly made a stab at it! – hat Jul 24 '18 at 15:29
Ah sorry to be a stickler! The 's' appendage is almost entirely dwarfed by its impressive length though, thanks for sharing – Sachin Valera Jul 25 '18 at 00:07

score 12 · Answer 4 · edited Jul 25 '18 at 12:30

12

Not sure if this is serious or not, or lateral thinking, but

in the context of the book 'Alive: The Story of the Andes Survivors' rugby TEAM becomes MEAT for the team.

edited Jul 25 '18 at 12:30

Sensoray

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answered Jul 24 '18 at 19:28

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Hmm. If we aren't ruling out cannibalism, tutor/trout and rosti/tiros would be on the list as well as others. – Hugh Meyers Jul 25 '18 at 14:01

score 10 · Answer 5 · answered Jul 24 '18 at 17:03

10

Here is one:

Polish cake babka turns into kabab (another way of saying kebab).

answered Jul 24 '18 at 17:03

ibrahim mahrir

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From the Middle East to the Eastern bloc, nice! – Sachin Valera Jul 25 '18 at 00:04

score 10 · Answer 6 · answered Jul 25 '18 at 15:33

10

One more to add (it's a tricky challenge!):

RAGU (from italian cusine, a meat-based sauce) > GUAR (legume used to produce guar gum/ guar beans and leaves used in cooking)

And this one tenuous at best:

LIVER > ERVIL (ancient grain legume, variety of Vetch plant which is member of the of pea family - edible but not commonly used in modern cooking from what I can see. )

answered Jul 25 '18 at 15:33

Bazza46

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Welcome to Puzzling.SE! you should take the tour for an easy badge. – Chowzen Jul 25 '18 at 15:45
Oh my guar, yes – Sachin Valera Jul 25 '18 at 22:38

score 9 · Answer 7 · answered Jul 25 '18 at 11:44

9

A bit late, but here is one more:

LAMB and BALM (a herb, also known as lemon balm)

answered Jul 25 '18 at 11:44

Etalosed

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Kenneth Meese · Answer 8 · 2018-07-24T23:50:53.123

5

I could only think of one:

Smelt (The Fish) -> Melts (The Sandwiches)

edited Jul 24 '18 at 23:50

answered Jul 24 '18 at 23:45

Kenneth Meese

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Nice! Gotta disallow it on the basis of the pluralisation constraint here though (see OP). – Sachin Valera Jul 27 '18 at 10:03

score 3 · Answer 9 · answered Jul 27 '18 at 06:27

3

How about a food to a food to a food?:

SWINE <-> SINEW (part of meat) <-> WINES

answered Jul 27 '18 at 06:27

gnovice

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Swine: bit sketchy? Wines: pluralised (see OP) + wine's a beverage (didn't intend for beverages to be counted as 'foods'). – Sachin Valera Jul 27 '18 at 10:01
@SValera swine is not a bit sketchy in places like North America. – Mr Pie Aug 08 '18 at 03:26

score 2 · Answer 10 · answered Jul 26 '18 at 12:15

2

I could only think of one honest one:

TREACLE(a type of syrup like molasses)/CLARETE (a type of rose wine)

And one wasn't quite there, but it was close so I still wanted to include it:

SUNCHOKE(also called a Jerusalem artichoke)/HONEySUCKle (a delicious edible plant that tastes like honey, but I'm missing the y, l, and e)

answered Jul 26 '18 at 12:15

Karen Lowe

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Unfortunately it is spelled CLARET, without a second E. – Jaap Scherphuis Jul 27 '18 at 08:31
Hi Jaap, the Spanish variety of rose Rioja is in fact spelled Clarete! https://www.thecultureist.com/2013/07/11/clarete-la-rioja-spanish-wine/ – Karen Lowe Jul 27 '18 at 09:14
Nice anagram! I hadn't intended for beverages to be included in the 'food' world though – Sachin Valera Jul 27 '18 at 09:59

score 2 · Answer 11 · answered Jul 27 '18 at 01:09

2

This one's too terrible to leave out

DOG (What? Some people eat dog) -> GOD (Communion)

answered Jul 27 '18 at 01:09

Arcanist Lupus

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Humour points awarded – Sachin Valera Jul 27 '18 at 09:55

score 0 · Answer 12 · answered Aug 03 '18 at 07:48

0

If drinks were allowed I'd add:

Pea-tomato (tomatoes grown tiny like peas) <-> Potato-tea (a drink sadly)

I like the challenge

answered Aug 03 '18 at 07:48

Yous0147

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Unfortunately, even if drinks were included, there remain two objections: (1) Hyphenating two-word items is not a legitimate tactic to render them one word items as required, (2) There is clearly an extra 't' used in the the tea reshuffle, in place of what should be an 'm'. This obviously isn't an anagram... Sorry! Good luck. – Sachin Valera Aug 03 '18 at 14:48
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Oh boy, I knew writing on the train would bite me in the butt, I even read the post twice. Thanks for the clear and concise criticism, you're absolutely on point. I'll try and think of something within the restrictions laid out by your post. – Yous0147 Aug 03 '18 at 15:48
Looking forward to seeing what you come up with : -) – Sachin Valera Aug 03 '18 at 16:33

score 0 · Answer 13 · answered Nov 19 '18 at 11:18

Here are some types of cheese that can transform into types of food, which I found while answering a similar challenge:

Legato -> Gelato [Italian ice cream]

Ragstone -> Estragon [Another name for tarragon]

Esrom -> S'more [If you can even call it 'food' ;)]

And this one doesn't quite follow the rules, but I have to mention...

Friesago cheese, which perfectly transforms into Foie-gras.

Anagrams: From Food to Food

13 Answers13

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