Mozzarepa (mozzarella + arepa)
"Mozzarepa" (or "MozzArepa") is a commercial product that was trademarked in 1996 and combines "mozzarella" (cheese) sandwiched inside an "arepa" (corn-based…
Muddy Buddies (cereal snack)
"Puppy chow" is a snack where Chex or Crispix cereal is coated with melted chocolate and peanut butter, and then dusted with powdered sugar. The name comes from when the Ralston Purina…
Mulligan Stew
Entry in progress -- B,P,[This entry was prepared with research assistance of Sam Clements of the American Dialect Society listserv and the Early Sports and Pop Culture History Blog.] Wikipedia:…
Mumbo Sauce
"Mumbo sauce," "mambo sauce" and "mombo sauce" are three different spellings for perhaps the same sauce, served as a barbecue sauce on fried chicken wings, fired jumbo…
Murder Burger
"Murder Burger" is sold at the First Way Deli ("Home of the Murder Burger") in the Bronx, at 1030 East Tremont Avenue and West Farms. The deli's "Murder Burger"…
Mush (sauerkraut & roll)
No one seems to know much about "mush." The Brooklyn Historical Society Library will re-open in 2005. The Brooklyn Public Library will perhaps continue its digitization of the Brooklyn…
Mustard Pie (mustard on pizza)
Schuster's Tomato Pies on Whittaker Avenue in Trenton, New Jersey, had a banner, "The Home of the Mustard Pie." Supposedly, in the late 1970s or early 1980s, a drunk customer came in…
Mustard Pizza (mustard on pizza)
Schuster's Tomato Pies on Whittaker Avenue in Trenton, New Jersey, had a banner, "The Home of the Mustard Pie." Supposedly, in the late 1970s or early 1980s, a drunk customer came in…
Mutton-chop Whiskers
"Mutton-chop whiskers" are sideburns (extending into a bead) that look like a pair of mutton chops on the side of a man's face. The term "mutton-chop whiskers" was printed…
Naked Cake (cake without outer icing)
A "naked cake" is a caked with unfrosted sides. Wedding cakes are popular versions of the naked cake. "Naked cake" has been cited on Twitter since 2009 and became popular by…
Naked Sushi or Body Sushi (sushi served on a naked person “platter”)
"Naked sushi" (or "body sushi") is the practice of serving sushi on the body of a naked woman or naked man. "Nyotaimori" is Japanese for the "female body…
Nanaimo Bar Mystery (New York Bars?)
Does the famous Nanaimo bar come from New York? Must I solve every mystery for you, for free in my spare time? http://expage.com/page/nanaimobarSome say the recipe goes back to the 1930s, perhaps…
Nathan’s Hot Dog Eating Contest
Competitive eating contests have been held since at least the 19th century. It's not known when the first "hot dog-eating contest" was held. Nathan's often claims that it held…
Nature’s Bacon (avocado nickname)
"Avocado is nature's bacon" was written by Leah Reich in The Atlantic on March 22, 2013. Reich meant that the avocado is a heathful food experiencing the same popularity as bacon.…
Nature’s Sports Drink (water/coconut water/milk nickname)
Sports energy drinks (such as Red Bull) became popular in the 1990s; the sports drink Gatorade was developed in 1965. Several drinks have been called "nature's sports drink."…
Neapolitan Ice (Neapolitan Ice Cream)
Neapolitan ice cream usually consists on three blocks of vanilla, chocolate and strawberry ice cream, combined together. "Neapolitan Ices" was printed in The Times (London, UK) on April…
Negimaki or Negimayaki
Japanese food is booming here and this is one of the early New York City classics--or is it? According to John Mariani's Encyclopedia of American Food and Drink (1979): "The word is from…
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."…
Nervous Pudding (jello)
"Nervous pudding" has been a popular nickname for Jell-O because it shakes when it's handed off from the server. "'Don't get upset, Marge, calm your nerves with some…
Nesselrode Pie
"Nesselrode pudding" was supposedly invented by the first "celebrity chef," the great Antonin Careme. However, "Nesselrode pie" appears to be a New York City original…