Accoutrement
According to the Merriam-Webster dictionary that’s online an accoutrement is a piece of clothing or equipment that is used in a particular place or for a particular activity. We use this word for clothing in Hectic Manor, but more commonly we misuse it, referring to all the items that you need to augment a particular food item as the accoutrements. I’ll be making a green salad, and want to ask the kids to get the:
- Shredded cheese
- Bacon bits
- Cheese crumbles
- Chopped tomatoes
- Sliced cucumbers
- Diced onions
- Croutons
- Sunflower seeds
- Craisins
- Shredded carrots
- Chopped celery
- Various dressings
- Pepper Mill
Rather than listing everything out, I’ll ask them to get the salad accoutrements. It’s just a ton easier, and the kids think it’s some special code. We do the same thing when we’re having hot dogs or hamburgers. I’ll ask for the picnic accoutrements and get:
- Mustard
- Ketchup
- BBQ Sauce
- Ranch Dressing (this is Kansas, everything gets doused in Ranch dressing)
- Sliced tomatoes
- Sliced onions
- Lettuce
- Sauerkraut
- Celery Seed
So the next time you need a whole list of items, ask your family for the accoutrements. Then explain what that means and hopefully you won’t have to explain it each and every time. It sounds silly, but using accoutrements as a descriptor is a huge time saver at Hectic Manor!
