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…
Archive for 12/2008
Senegalese Soup
"Senegalese soup" has 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…
Mixed Grill
A "mixed grill" is a dish of grilled or broiled meats and vegetables. "Mixed grill" is cited from at least 1904, in a London newspaper; the term is often identified as British…
Junk Food
"Junk food" became a popular term in the 1970s for the fast food and sweets in the American diet. New York magazine food critic Gael Greene frequently used "junk food" from at…
Chef Salad (Chef’s Salad)
Chef salad (or "chef's salad") is a tossed salad that contains lettuce, several vegetables, hard-boiled eggs and often cheese and meat (such as ham). Early recipes (from the 1930s)…
Chinese Popcorn (Sweet & Pungent Shrimp)
Chinese sweet and pungent shrimp is sometimes called "Chinese popcorn" because you can't eat just one, and once you start eating you can't stop until it's all gone.…
Duck Sauce (Chinese Duck Sauce)
"Duck sauce" is often served at American Chinese restaurants, accompanying noodles, egg rolls, chicken and spare ribs. "Duck sauce" was sold in bottles and packages to be sauce…
Egg Foo Young (Egg Foo Yung; Egg Fu Young; Egg Fu Yung)
"Egg foo young" (also "egg foo yung," "egg fu young," "egg fu yung" and many other spellings) is a Chinese omelette dish that has been served in New…
Mocktail (non-alcoholic cocktail)
A "mocktail" is a "mock cocktail" -- that is, a cocktail without the alcohol. Shirley Temples, Virgin Marys, and virgin-style Piña Coladas are three of the most popular…
Spinach and Artichoke Dip (with tortilla chips)
Both "artichoke dip" and "spinach dip" have been around since the 1960s, but "spinach and artichoke dip" (also "artichoke and spinach dip") took off in the…
“Eat crow”
"Eat crow!" means to suffer humiliation; the phrase is probably an American version of the English "to eat humble pie." "Can you eat crow?" is the title of a story…