Foods apparently have the most identifiable colors. Check out the color names on any major line of paints, and you'll see lots of examples.

http://www.sherwin-williams.com/homeowners/color/find-and-explore-colors/paint-c...

http://www.behr.com/consumer/colors/paint#

http://www.benjaminmoore.com/en-us/for-your-home/color-gallery#&ce_vm=0

Colors like Brookline Beige, Rich Clay Brown and Thanksgiving don't evoke clear visuals in my mind, but tell me the color is Raisin, Chocolate Mousse, Cherry Cola, or Mocha, and I know almost exactly what color you're talking about. It could in part be the consistency: colors in nature vary wildly (oak leaf green? maple bark brown?) but when you blend things in a kitchen (raspberry smoothie, mashed sweet potato, tomato sauce), the end result is a consistent color that can always be identified no matter where you got the raspberries, sweet potatoes, or tomatoes.

Also, Caucasian people are often described with food analogies: peach, milky.

I read an article once that suggested people don't like having their skin tones compared to food. I think that's just the author's opinion, which is probably shared by some but it's not a matter of general offense. It's done all the time in literature, and I've never seen a book boycotted because of the author's skin color descriptions.

However, if you're looking for alternatives, this article might help. I like how it suggests using standard colors mixed with modifiers and undertones: warm tawny with golden undertones; light beige with rose undertones.

http://writingwithcolor.tumblr.com/post/96830966357/writing-with-color-descripti...

Cheers,
Michelle