Circuit Queen
A person frequenting the gay circuit is called a "circuit queen." The "bird circuit" was the name for Manhattan's gay bars in the East 50s (dating from the 1950s), but the…
Three Musketeers (Chinese dish of scallops/chicken, shrimp and beef)
The Three Musketeers (1844) is a historical adventure novel by French author Alexandre Dumas (1802-1870). On Chinese menus in American restaurants, "Three Musketeers" means a dish with…
Rochester: Chicken French
"Chicken French" (also known as "Chicken Française" or "Chicken Francese") is an Italian-American dish of flour breaded, egg-dipped, sautéed chicken with butter and…
Hawaii Four-O (Chinese dish)
Hawaii Five-O was an American police procedural drama series that aired from 1968 to 1980. The series was revived in 2010. The Chinese dish of "Hawaii Five-O" (often called "Hawaii…
“If you’ve never missed a plane, you’ve spent too much time in airports”
"If you've never missed a plane, you've spent too much time in airports" is a saying that means one shouldn't be too careful to avoid all misfortune at all costs; some risk…
Queens (cocktail)
The "Manhattan" cocktail has existed since at least the 1880s, but for many years it was noted that the borough of Wueens did not have a cocktail of its own. A "Queen's…
Staten Island (cocktail)
The "Manhattan" cocktail has existed since at least the 1880s, but for many years it was noted that the borough of Staten Island did not have a cocktail of its own. There is a…
Yonkers: Sixth Borough (nickname)
New York City has five boroughs. The consolidation into the borough system took effect on January 1, 1898. Yonkers (in Westchester County) was soon proposed to be New York's sixth borough.…
COB Pizza (cheese-on-bottom)
"Red Front Pizza (Home of the COB)" is how the Red Front restaurant in Troy, New York (another restaurant is in Clifton Park, NY) bills itself on its website. "COB" stands for…
Ugly Sticks or Ugli Sticks (breadsticks)
"Prices range from $3.95 for ugly sticks (bread sticks)" was printed in the South Bend (IN) Tribune on October 3, 2005, in a review of Bob's 19th Hole (South Bend, IN). "Visit…
Chicken French (Chicken Française; Chicken Francese); Veal French
"Chicken French" (also known as "Chicken Française" or "Chicken Francese") is an Italian-American dish of flour breaded, egg-dipped, sautéed chicken with butter and…
Neptune Platter or Neptune’s Platter (seafood platter)
Neptune was the god of freshwater and the sea in Roman religion. Many American restaurants have named their seafood plates the "Neptune Platter" or "Neptune's Platter."…
Apple Pie Logs & Pizza Logs
"Pizza logs" are mozzarella cheese in an egg roll wrapper; some pizza logs also have pepperoni. "Pizza Logs" has been cited in print since 1970, when it was sold by Jeno's…
Pizza Logs & Apple Pie Logs
"Pizza logs" are mozzarella cheese in an egg roll wrapper; some pizza logs also have pepperoni. "Pizza Logs" has been cited in print since 1970, when it was sold by Jeno's…
Stinger (steak + chicken finger); Stinger Fries; Stinger Pizza; Stinger Taco
A "Stinger" sandwich is a hoagie or sub sandwich that contains chicken fingers and steak (like a Philly cheesesteak). It also often has lettuce, tomatoes, onions and hot sauce. The book…
Peanut Sticks (Peanut Stix)
Peanut sticks are sticks of glazed donuts, coated in crushed peanuts. The food is a specialty of Buffalo, New York, where it was made at Freddies Doughnuts (1935-1989). They are a popular item at…
Spaghetti Parm (Spaghetti Parmesan; Spaghetti Parmigiana)
"Italienne Spaghetti, Parmesan Cheese ... 15c." was printed in the Boston (MA) Sunday Globe on April 20, 1890. "Spaghetti Parmesan" was printed in the San Francisco (CA)…
Crab Rangoon
"Crab Rangoon" is a crab dish from the 1950s named after Rangoon a city in the country of Burma; the city was renamed Yangon, and the country was renamed Myanmar. Despite the name, there…
Lake Tung Ting Shrimp (Chinese dish)
The Chinese dish of Lake Tung Ting shrimp is named after Dongting Lake in northeastern Hunan province. The dish was served at Manhattan's Hunam restaurant (845 Second Avenue, near 45th Street)…
Triple Delight (Chinese dish of chicken, beef and shrimp)
The Chinese dish of "Triple Delight" has come to mean a combination of chicken, beef and shrimp, but early citations of the dish had other ingredients, such as lobster, duck and/or pork.…