1930s: Jazzing the Big Apple

Red Ass

"Red ass" means to show great anger or passion. A Texas A&M Aggie who goes out of the way to show Aggie spirit is another definition of "red ass." Urban DictionaryRed Ass In…

Red Beans and Rice

"Red beans and rice" is an important Creole dish in New Orleans, Louisiana. The term "red beans and rice" was cited in print in The Daily Picayune (New Orleans, LA) on June 13,…

Red Cajun (redneck + Cajun)

ABC Nightline's "People's Platelist" winning chef, Henry Chandler, was born in Saint Maurice, Louisiana. "I'm a red Cajun – little bit of redneck, little bit of…

Red Cent

To have "not one red cent" is to have absolutely no money. The U.S. penny (or "cent") from 1793-1857 was made of reddish copper; the phrase "not worth a copper" was…

Red Diamond (goji berry nickname)

Goji berries (also called wolfberries) have long been popular in China, but were almost unknown in the United States before 2002. The commercially promoted health qualities of goji juice helped to…

Red Flannel Hash

Entry in progress -- B.P. Wikipedia: FlannelRed Flannel Hash is a breakfast hash originally from New England that involves beets. Here is the legend: Suspecting her husband of unfaithfulness a…

Red Grapefruit (State Fruit)

The Texas Red Grapefruit is the official state fruit of Texas, pronounced by the Texas legislature in 1993. A few years later, the Texas legislature would name the city of Weslaco the Citrus…

Red Hook (cocktail)

Red Hook used to be a rough area of Brooklyn filled with longshoremen, but Red Hook is rapidly being gentrified. In 2008, New York City's first IKEA store opened there. The Red Hook cocktail…

Red Hots

"Red hots" came into use before the term "hot dogs." Some say that Harry Stevens coined "red hots" at the Polo Grounds in the early 1900s. Like the standard "hot…

Red Ink (cheap red wine)

"Red ink" has been a nickname for "cheap red wine" since at least 1863. The nickname was frequently used in Italian restaurants in America, which were called "red ink…

Red Light District

The origin of the term "red light district" is unknown. The term "red light district" is cited in Lousville in 1896, Denver in 1897, and New York City, Houston and San Antonio…