Fans of Brooklyn Nine-Nine will know that one of Charles Boyle's biggest passions is food. This passion frequently stretches beyond what is perhaps considered good food by most people, with some of his food escapades bordering on disgusting to both his colleagues and Nine-Nine fans.
Yet not all of Charles' food endeavors are just hilariously memorable. Others reveal a knowledgeable side of Charles, and some of his food passions have helped to solve cases or enhance relationships of either his friends, colleagues, or even his own. No matter what it is, the best of Charles' food moments really bring out his Boyle quirks that make him a lovable and unforgettable character.
Pie School For Rosa And Gina
Season 1 saw one of Charles' saddest moments on Brooklyn Nine-Nine when he was hopelessly in love with Rosa. When it came to a debate between Rosa and Gina as to where the best pie came from, Charles initially follows his feelings by picking Rosa's choice even though he hated it. He later tells the truth and vetoes both pies, giving them a pie from a different place and telling them, "You've just graduated pie school, b----es!"
Charles' schooling in pie is not only a funny demonstration of his extreme foodie passion — he has 12 components for judging a good pie — but by eventually telling the truth, it was a step forward towards getting over his feelings for Rosa.
A Last Minute Multiethnic Thanksgiving Feast
The first Thanksgiving episode in the show saw disaster after disaster as Amy's Thanksgiving dinner turns out to be so inedible everyone flushes it down the toilet. This leads to a desperate search for food, in particular for a very hangry Terry, who needs the calories to maintain muscle mass.
In this instance, it is Charles who comes through and saves the day by gathering a less traditional, multiethnic Thanksgiving feast from various takeout spots in New York. The meal is a hit with the squad, even Thanksgiving-hating Jake, and unites them all in a moment of harmony.
Eating From Le Petit Colon Whilst Demolishing It
When engaged to Pimento, Rosa has Amy, Gina, and Charles each organize a bachelorette party for her. She enjoys all of them, but she declares Charles' party the best. His party idea was to demolish a shut-down restaurant called Le Petit Colon, which served nothing but small intestines.
The vile cuisine is something Charles would relish, so although it's no surprise to see him eat the leftovers while the others destroy the restaurant, it's still very funny. Another moment in this episode that highlights Charles' sometimes questionable food choices is when he eagerly recommends to Jake a number of different places where he can buy veal tongue.
Spicy Pepper Wedding Cake Frosting
Charles' first serious relationship in the show was with food writer Vivian, who has a similar taste in food no matter how weird it was. As a result, one of the options for the wedding cake was habanero pepper frosting, much to Jake's disgust.
The reason for the spicy frosting was because Charles believed their marriage was going to "sizzle." This moment, from the unconventional frosting flavor to the delivery of the reason why he chose it, is classic Boyle. Fans can only wonder what weird flavors the cake itself would have been.
Befriending The Turkey He Intended To Slaughter
In the Thanksgiving episode "Mr. Santiago," Charles brings in a live turkey to slaughter and prepare for Amy's Thanksgiving meal. In retaliation, Gina names the turkey Nickolaj after Charles' son and releases it, only for the monstrous bird to chase and trap the squad in Amy's bathroom.
Being the one responsible, Charles volunteers to go out and take care of it, only to befriend the bird in a true Boyle fashion: by subduing it and feeding it Gouda cheese. Charles is a gentle and caring character on Brooklyn Nine-Nine, so taking down a rather aggressive bird with what he knows best is a sign of strength in its own right. That is, until he says with fear in the episode's final line, "I'm out of Gouda."
Giving Jake A Secret Breakfast Bar
There is no question that Charles unconditionally adores Jake, so combining this with his love of food, Charles would know Jake's eating habits like the back of his hand.
An example of this is when Charles slips a breakfast bar into Jake's pocket on a planned criminal capture. He even makes sure there were fudge and chocolate chips in the bar as he "knows how to trick his best friend into eating fiber." This is not only a good Charles foodie moment but also a time when Jake and Charles were friendship goals on Brooklyn Nine-Nine, as it shows Charles cares about his best friend's well-being.
The 'Stone' In The Stew
In the episode "Pontiac Bandit," the squad let Charles choose their lunch meal on his first day back after he was shot, even though Charles' lunchtime choices were described as "horrifying adventures in diarrhea."
Charles picks a stew which was enjoyed only by Charles. Gina complains of a stone in hers, only to find that it is actually a hoof, the part that Charles claims is the best. He proceeds to suck on the hoof in delight, calling it a "marrow nugget wrapped in a thick toenail." This disgusting stew might be one of the most stomach-churning of Charles' food choices, but that's why it's funny and a memorable moment in what is already a very memorable episode.
Octopus Balls Introduced Him To The Love Of His Life
The episode "Genevieve" features one of Brooklyn Nine-Nine's best investigations, and one of the reasons why is that Charles meets the love of his life, Genevieve. Ehat gets them talking together for the first time is fried octopus balls, a snack that Charles was eating sadly while lamenting his love life to Jake.
The fried octopus balls are not only a typically weird Boyle snack, but it is essentially what starts off perhaps some of the best years of his life spent in a committed relationship with the woman of his dreams and raising a child together. Jake even throws one of the octopus balls at Genevieve to get her attention, encouraging Charles to ask her out.
His Pizza Emails Helped Crack The Case
One of the most notable points of Charles' food passion is his weekly email rankings of pizza places in Brooklyn that, surprisingly, Captain Holt reads (because it is the only one that measures the "mouthfeel" of a pizza). This rather unusual email blast is not only funny and pure Boyle, but it is fundamental in solving a case.
When investigating rival pizzerias regarding the arson attack on Sal's Pizza, Charles notes how the sauce is "much better" in one of the competitors' places, eventually leading Jake to figure out who the culprit behind the arson was.
Teaching Holt How To Cook
Charles' most famous foodie moment is when Holt asks him to teach him cooking so he can make something special for Kevin on their anniversary. After a hilarious yet disastrous cooking lesson in scrambled eggs, Holt quits. However, this ends in a rather sweet and heartwarming scene.
Holt learns from Charles' food blog that food tells a story. As a result, he makes a croque-monsieur that reminded him and Kevin of a treasured memory in Paris. Although not taught directly in the cooking lesson, this is certainly one of Charles' best food moments, as he not only shows Holt food beyond basic peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, but it's a sweet sign of how much Holt and Kevin love each other.