Stoup (stew + soup)
A "stoup" (stew + soup) is thinner than a stew, but thicker than a soup. Television food cook Rachael Ray has popularized the word "stoup," and a trademark was filed in 2007.…
EVOO (Extra Virgin Olive Oil)
"EVOO" (pronounced as individual letters) stands for "extra virgin olive oil." Olive oil has several grades, established by an international food organization; "extra…
Vodka Sauce (Penne alla Vodka; Rigatoni alla Vodka)
Vodka sauce began being served with pasta (such as "penne all vodka" or "rigatoni alla vodka") at New York-area restaurants in the late 1970s and early 1980s. The alcoholic…
Oyster Bar
The Grand Central Oyster Bar & Restaurant (at Grand Central Terminal at 42nd Street) opened in 1913 and is one of the world's most famous oyster bars. Before this establishment, the Grand…
“Eternity is a ham and two people/Eternity is two people and a ham” (Irma Rombauer/Dorothy Parker?)
"Eternity is a ham and two people" (also given as "Eternity is two people and a ham") is an old quip from the days when a ham was huge -- far more than two people could finish.…
Tuna Noodle Casserole
Tuna noodle casserole (or "tuna and noodle casserole") has been popularly made with canned tuna, cooked noodles and Campbell's cream-of-mushroom soup (first sold in 1934). However,…
Pink Lemonade
Pink lemonade is popularly associated with the circus; there are various origination stories involving pink circus tights and dubious water. Pete Conklin claimed to have invented pink lemonade at…
“Money in the bank” (financial saying for a “sure thing”)
"Money in the bank" (often given as "like putting money in the bank" or "like money in the bank" or "like money in a bank") means a sure thing, a guaranteed…
Quiche (Quiche Lorraine)
"Quiche" is probably related to the German word "kuchen," or cake. A quiche is made of eggs and milk or cream, baked in a pastry crust. A Quiche Lorraine (named from the…
Mongole Soup (Potage Mongole; Purée Mongole; Creme Mongole)
Mongole soup (called "Purée Mongole" in the earliest descriptions, but also spelled as "Purée Mongol," "Potage Mongole," "Potage Mongol," "Creme…
Senegalese Soup
"Senegalese soup" had been served at New York's "21" Club for many years, but the origin of the soup and its name are unclear. Senegalese soup has been called "cold…
Chicken Noodle Soup
Entry in progress -- B.P. Wikipedia: Chicken soupChicken soup is a soup made by boiling chicken parts and/or bones in water, with various vegetables and flavorings. The classic chicken soup…
Matzah Ball Soup (Matza Ball Soup; Matzoh Ball Soup; Matzo Ball Soup)
Matzah ball soup (also spelled "matza ball soup," "matzoh ball soup," "matzo ball soup," among many other spellings) is traditionally served on the Jewish holiday of…
Girl-inside-cake (bachelor party surprise)
Bachelor parties (and other parties where a man is being celebrated, such as a birthday party) sometimes have featured a stripper who pops out of a cake. The origin of this seemingly American…
“Make a federal case (out of it)”
"Don't make a federal case out of it!" means don't make a "big deal" of the small matter. The phrase was widely used in the early 1950s, when important civil rights…
Buffalo Sundae
One of the first "sundaes" (in print several times in 1902) appears to have been the "Buffalo sundae." The city of Buffalo is located in upstate New York, near Ithaca (where the…
Tin Roof Sundae
The "tin roof sundae" usually contains peanuts and chocolate sauce on top of vanilla ice cream. "Tin roof sunday" is cited in a 1907 Mansfield (OH) newspaper; "tin roof…
Dark Thirty (Zero Dark Thirty; Oh Dark Thirty; 0 Dark 30; 0 Dark 100)
"Dark thirty" (or "dark-thirty") means thirty minutes after the sun goes down. The earliest citations for "dark thirty" appear to be from Texas and New Mexico in the…
Coffee Break
The "coffee break" became an American institution during World War II, when older and inexperienced workers were pushed into the workforce and needed breaks for refreshment. The…
Yale (cocktail)
The Yale cocktail (a tribute to Yale University in New Haven, CT) has probably been served most at Manhattan's Yale Club, on Vanderbilt Avenue just opposite Grand Central Terminal. The Yale…