 Time television critic James Poniewozik , notes that by the end of the first episode Frank establishes that his metaphor of choice is meat because both literally and figuratively it is his preference . He may begin a day with a celebratory rack of ribs , because " I ’ m feelin ’ hungry today ! " , but also he describes life with meat metaphors : he describes the White House Chief of Staff with grudging admiration : " She ’ s as tough as a two @-@ dollar steak . " ; he plans to destroy an enemy the way " you devour a whale . One bite at a time . " ; and he endures a tedious weekly meeting with House leaders , he tells us , by " [ imagining ] their lightly salted faces frying in a skillet . " Poniewozik notes that all of this comes from a character whose name , Underwood is a reference to the hallmark deviled ham of the William Underwood Company . 
