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Food Tattoos

Now that l have fully reached geezer status, it is time for a tattoo. Cheese may be prominent in my thoughts but open to a lot. Photos and where the deed was done would help as well. One thought now was on the door at Betelnut in San Francisco when they opened, which was a wedge of Swiss cheese with holes with the ubiquitous red circle around it and the red slash through the circle. All help appreciated.

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  1. Forget what the tat is, where are you planning to put it?

    2 Replies
    1. re: escondido123

      Two current locations are vying for the winner. On the anterior ankle, thus facing out. The other is Tong style on the bottom of heel with large circle around it. What you do want, am a retired podiatrist.

    2. how about a cheese knife? I'm thinking one like this:


      Scroll down to #17 -- shows off your profession, but a little badazz, too -- and just obscure enough to only be immediately recognizable to cheese freaks.

      (now I'll be watching when I'm in the markets in Paris...looking for the cheese-knife tat)

      1. dh and the boyz are fond of butcher's diagrams. i've seen some beautiful large scale produce tats and backpieces, too.

        assuming this will be your first tattoo, one thing to bear in mind (hoping the folks from the "just answer the bleepin' question" thread don't come after me with flat whisks): picking your tattoo artist is a lot like picking a caterer. shop around and familiarize yourself w her/his work, look for someone who runs a clean shop. some artists will specialize in portraiture, others in marvel-comic style illustration, others in ed hardy type styles, etc. choose the best fit for your concept. again, as with dealing with caterers-- you may think you know just what you want, but a good artist will expand and enhance your design-- don't think of your tattoo artist as a paper-to-skin zerox machine, like a talented caterer, s/he can enhance your "menu." if you want something large-scale, like a mycological fantasy backpiece, or a humorous cartoon of a roasted james beard being served to a pig wearing a tuxedo. . .don't be afraid to ask your artist to draw it up. go in with books and photos. like a good caterer, a good tattoo artist will work off of your ideas and create something custom for you that may be even better than you imagined! :)

        good luck! oh-- imho, price should be among the last things discussed-- don't bargain hunt, this will be on your skin the rest of your life. more expensive/experienced artists will also be quicker, cleaner and less painful/shorter heal time, like surgeons. tip tattoo artists generously, particularly if they draw up custom work for you-- i'm sure you know this, i'm just sayin' to say it, for the thread. again, best of luck.

        2 Replies
        1. re: soupkitten

          Soupkitten is right on the nose on all points, not the least of which is the last paragraph. Good tattoos are never cheap; Cheap tattoos are never good.

          My daughter is a tattoo artist of some repute. She told me recently of someone who came in for a consult and didnt like her price. The client had the nerve to ask my daughter if she could recommend someone who would do the work any cheaper. My daughter told her to try prison. Prisons are LOADED with inexpensive tattoo artists.

          1. re: Fydeaux

            I've heard the same from a BBQ pitmaster "good food ain't cheap and cheap food ain't good".
            "you get what you pay for" generally holds true for tattoos as well.

            With that said, I was in Belize last winter and had a ceiba tree tattooed on my forearm for the equivalent of $100USD (incredibly inexpensive). The artist was a Seattle ex-pat who recently opened a small parlor near the beach. OK, monochrome, little shading, and not extremely detailed, but still, I am very pleased with it and a bargain to boot (I tipped him well).
            This is definitely an exception to the "get what u pay for" rule...

        2. Ooooh, timely! I've had a tattoo of a previous Siamese cat of mine on my hip for 15 years, but acquired a 10-12" scar (inverted V) across my abdomen 2 years ago. I'd thought about a tattoo around it and just started thinking about it again. Grape Vines? Cherry Blossoms?

          I love the idea of a cheese related tattoo, maybe a melty wedge of brie? Dripping Grilled cheese sandwich?

          10 Replies
            1. re: Delucacheesemonger

              okay the combination of 'cheesemonger' and 'podiatrist' just BEGS for something with stinky feet. An angel with smelly tootsies?

              1. re: sunshine842

                Thanks for the image of toe cheese just before breakfast....

                1. re: Veggo

                  no, no -- years ago, on one of my first forays into a Paris fromagerie, I instinctively wrinkled my nose when I walked into the store (it can be a little overpowering...)

                  The lady looked up, chuckled, and remarked "ah yes -- cheese -- like the feet of an angel" It cracked me up -- I had a great time and bought a lot of cheese that day -- and the saying has stayed with me ever since.

                2. re: sunshine842

                  Did you look at my avatar ? And the story goes when Charlemagne first tried Brie de Melun he said' It smells like the feet of God'

                    1. re: sunshine842

                      Or the smelly, black mercedes? {;-/)

                      1. re: porker

                        Blue, not black. Almost got smelly for the tag on my other car

                        1. re: Delucacheesemonger

                          You shoulda. Cool tags. Even better side by side.

              2. Theres a timely article in Culture called

                Cheesemongers who love what they do have the tats to prove it, maybe check it out here


                for a few idears.

                Having slid somewhere between hipster dufus and geezer myself, I try to get a tatoo when visiting interesting ports of call...

                soupkitten's pointers are spot on, echoing the concerns about "answer the fuc&ing question" thread, I will suggest this:

                get the tattoo where you can see it, whats the good of not enjoying it yourself, I think.

                Skill varies GREATLY from artist to artist (something that did not occur to me when getting my second), so ask around. Plus word of mouth recommendations go a long way.

                Finally, as a committed hound, report back with a photo!

                BTW, I've been thinking of something like this for awhile

                3 Replies
                1. re: porker

                  ROFL -- some of those are pretty cool -- and come out MUCH better than I thought a cheese tattoo would look.

                  And I *swear* I hadn't read that when I combined "cheese knife" and "badass" in the same sentence.

                  1. re: porker

                    Thank you for that link, porker. What a wonderful portrait of cheesemongers!

                    1. re: porker

                      I agree with everything you've said on this thread porker, and especially the point about getting it where you yourself can see it. i got mine at 40 (also skirting the edge of geezerhood), not food related, but i had a picture of it for a few years before i got it done. Mine is on my upper right calf, but slightly to the right - not exactly on the side of the leg, definitely on the fleshy part and not on the back - about an inch below the bend. i can see it whenever i look down from a sitting or standing position without having to crane.

                      is this too (pardon the pun) - cheesy? http://www.fotosearch.com/IMZ001/jba0...