Ants Climbing a Tree (Ma Yi Shang Shu or Mayishangshu)
"Ants climbing/creeping (on/up) a tree" is a popular English name for China's Sichuan province dish of ma yi shang shu (or mayishangshu). The "ants" are tiny pieces of…
Ants on a Log (Bugs on a Log)
"Ants on a log" (sometimes called "bugs on a log") is a children's snack that dates to at least 1959. The most common recipe is for a celery stalk (the "log")…
Apizza
"Apizza" (pronounced ah-BEETS) is a regional dialect version of the word "pizza," popular in New Haven, CT. New Haven's Frank Pepe Pizzeria Napoletana (since 1925) has…
Aporkalypse (apocalypse + pork)
The term "aporkalypse" (apocalypse + pork) became widely used in 2009, when there were fears of a deadly swine flu virus. The New York Times listed "aporkalypse" as one of its…
Apple Annie & Apple Mary
"Apple Annie" and "Apple Mary" are names given to women who sell apples. The names are often associated with the 1930s Depression-era apple sellers, but both names were…
Apple Cider Donut (Apple Cider Doughnut)
Apple cider donuts (or "apple cider doughnuts," frequently shortened to "cider donuts"/"cider doughnuts") showed up in New York City's Greenmarkets since at least…
Apple Jack Downing (cocktail)
"Apple Jack Downing" is the name of a cocktail that was created in April 2016 to celebrate the history of Orange County, New York. The drink was named for American landscape designer and…
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…
Apple Pie Trail (Blue Mountains, Ontario; Orange County, NY)
An "Apple Pie Trail" is a stretch where one can find apple pies (or just apples). The lodges in Nepal provided apple pies for foreign trekkers and became known as an "apple pie…
Apple-Pie Order
"Apple-pie order" means that things are in perfect order. The term "apple-pie order" dates to at least the 1776, but its origin is uncertain. Cap-à-pie (armed from head to…
Applejack
Entry in progress -- B.P. Wikipedia: Applejack (beverage)Applejack is a strong alcoholic beverage produced from apples, popular in the American colonial period. Applejack was historically made by…
Applely Ever After
Fairy tales often end with "happily ever after." "Appley/Apple-y ever after" or "Applely ever after" (apple + happily ever after) is an apple variation of this.…
Apples a la Manhattan (Pommes a la Manhattan)
"Apples a la Manhattan" (or "pommes a la Manhattan") was a dish that was often served at the famed Delmonico's restaurant. Perhaps Delmonico's came up with the name.…
Applesauce or Apple Sauce (slang for “nonsense”)
Entry in progress -- B.P. (Historical Dictionary of American Slang)applesauce n.1. Theat. silly, trite comedy.1918 Variety (Apr. 12) (vaudeville sec.) 7: Just to be back slipping on a little…
Appley Ever After (Apple-y Ever After)
Fairy tales often end with "happily ever after." "Appley/Apple-y ever after" or "Applely ever after" (apple + happily ever after) is an apple variation of this.…
Arachibutyrophobia (fear of peanut butter sticking to the roof of one’s mouth)
"Arachibutyrophobia" -- from arachis (“peanut”) + butyro- (“butter”) + -phobia -- is the fear of peanut butter sticking to the roof of one's mouth. The word was printed in…
Arepa (“Arepa Lady”)
An "arepa" is a corn-based bread popular in South American countries such as Colombia and Venezuela. The "Arepa Lady" is the popular vendor of arepas in New York City,…
Arnold Palmer or Half-and-Half (lemonade + iced tea)
An "Arnold Palmer" (named after the famed golfer) is a drink of half lemonade (sometimes pink lemonade) and half iced tea. The drink is also called a "half-and-half," although…
Arugulance (arugula + arrogance)
"Arugulance" was popularized by Maureen Dowd's New York (NY) Times column, titled "The Aura of Arugulance," published online April 18, 2009. Dowd had been talking about the…
Astor House Rolls; Roast Beef “a la Astor House”
The Astor House (1836-1926) was once one of the most famous hotels in New York City. It stood at Broadway, between Vesey and Barclay Streets (not far from city hall). Dining at the Astor House was…