Season 3 · Episode 11 · 1995
The Friend
14 cultural references across 6 categories.
Art
1Fashion
2Wing tips
A style of dress shoe characterized by a pointed toe cap with extensions (wings) that run along both sides of the shoe.
“Are these wing tips too busy with these pants?”— Niles
Woven lace shoe
A style of shoe featuring woven or braided leather, typically considered a more casual or less busy alternative to wing tips.
“Perhaps a woven lace would tone down the glitz.”— Frasier
Food/Dining
5The Big Book of Barbecue by Jeff Filgo
fictionalReferred to as Bob's 'bible' on barbecue. Jeff Filgo is actually a writer on the show Frasier, making this a likely fictional in-joke reference.
“It's my bible. "The Big Book of Barbecue" by Jeff Filgo. He's a Texan.”— Bob
Hibachi
A traditional Japanese heating device; in the West, commonly associated with a style of portable charcoal grill used for cooking.
“You know in Japan they call their barbecues "hibachis"?”— Bob
Mesquite
A type of hardwood commonly used for smoking and grilling meats in barbecue cooking, especially in Texas-style barbecue.
“You know the secret to good barbecue? Mesquite. And the secret to mesquite is you gotta soak them in water for 10 minutes.”— Bob
Tex-Mex
A regional American cuisine that blends Mexican and Texan culinary traditions.
“How about Tex-Mex?”— Frasier
Pumpernickel
A type of dense, dark rye bread originating from Germany.
“brought bagels, poppy seeds, pumpernickel, rye, sesame, onion, garlic.”— Bob
Literature
3Mark Twain
Samuel Langhorne Clemens (1835-1910), pen name Mark Twain, was one of America's greatest writers and humorists.
“Against the assault of laughter nothing can stand. / Mark Twain. "The Mysterious Stranger". I have a first edition.”— Frasier
The Mysterious Stranger
A posthumously published novel by Mark Twain (1916), dealing with themes of determinism and the nature of reality.
“Mark Twain. "The Mysterious Stranger". I have a first edition.”— Frasier
the kindness of strangers
A famous line from Tennessee Williams' play A Streetcar Named Desire (1947), spoken by Blanche DuBois: 'I have always depended on the kindness of strangers.'
“I, for one, happen to believe in the kindness of strangers.”— Frasier