Ham and Eggs

Entry in progress—B.P.
   
Wikipedia: Ham and eggs
Ham and eggs are a popular combination of foods often served as a breakfast meal in some English-speaking countries; the similar bacon and eggs are more popular in others. The dish was immortalized in Dr. Seuss’s popular Green Eggs and Ham story.
 
Ohio University Lancaster campus held its 38th Ham and Eggs concert in May 2009.
 
‘Ham ‘n’ Eggs’ was beaten two to one according to a 1939 New York Times Story reporting on a “huge off-year vote” noting that “California has declined ‘ham and eggs’, a billion dollar pension plan.”
 
When Emperor Kang Teh became emperor of the Manchurian Empire, he was noted in a 1934 Associated Press story for his taste for ham and eggs other Western styles.
 
Another use of the phrase “ham and eggs” is used as a derogatory term describing a person(s). Also could be called a “ham n’ egger” or “egger”. This phrase was brought to light in the original “Rocky” movie, filmed in 1979. Rocky downplays his chances as a title contender, referring to himself as “just some ham n’ egger from South Philly”.
     
The Free Dictionary
Noun 1. ham and eggs - eggs (scrambled or fried) served with ham
dish - a particular item of prepared food; “she prepared a special dish for dinner”
 
(Oxford English Dictionary)
ham and eggs n. a dish consisting of fried ham and eggs.
1837 W. H. Wills Jrnl. in S. Hist. Assoc. Pub. VI. 473   They gave me fryed ham and eggs and biscuit, bread & Coffee.
1838 Dickens Let. 1 Feb. (1965) I. 366   We have had for breakfast,‥ham and eggs.
1967 C. Drummond Death at Furlong Post iii. 31   ‘Get me ham and eggs,’ he said.
 
Google Books
A complete system of cookery, on a plan entirely new, consisting of every thing that is requisite for cooks to know in the kitchen business; containing bills of fare for every day in the year, and directions to dress each dish; being one year’s work at the Marquis of Buckingham’s from the 1st of January to the 31st of December, 1805.
By John Simpson, writer on cookery.
London: Printed for W. Stewart
1806
Pg. 87:
Ham and Eggs.
MINCE about half a pound of the lean of cold ham, put a little coulis to it; put it on the dish, and the eggs on the mince.
 
13 June 1815, Delaware Gazette and State Journal, pg. 1:
He called for breakfast, and Dorothy got him a comfortable cup of coffee, some ham and eggs, broiled a piece of fresh fish, and gave him as good a meal as the season would allow.
 
Google Books
The Practice of Cookery, adapted to the business of everyday life
By Mrs. Dalgairns
Edinburgh: Cadell & Co.
1829
Pg. 148:
Ham and Eggs.
CUT some ham into thin slices, and broil them on a gridiron. Fry some eggs in butter. Serve it, laying an egg on each slice of ham.
   
OCLC WorldCat record
Ham’n'eggs

Edition/Format:  Music
Publication: Count Basie, vol 2, 1939-1940, 12

San Diego (CA) History Center
The Journal of San Diego History
SAN DIEGO HISTORICAL SOCIETY QUARTERLY
Fall 1992, Volume 38, Number 4
Richard W. Crawford, Editor
The Battle for Ham and Eggs
The 1938-1939 San Diego Campaign for the California Pension Plan
by Chris Ernest Nelson
Graduate student, San Diego State University
 
The Great Depression of the 1930s brought economic distress to many Americans. Although poverty was widespread, the elderly suffered more than any other segment of the population. Faced with a real threat of hunger, many Americans looked to government to provide them some form of financial assistance.
 
In response to this critical need, various special programs were proposed. The federal government’s New Deal initiative created the Social Security system in 1935. In California the most prominent pension schemes were Upton Sinclair’s End Poverty in California (EPIC) campaign, the Townsend Movement (named for its architect, Dr. Francis E. Townsend), and the Ham and Eggs or 3O-Thursday crusade, which proposed a $3O weekly pension for every resident fifty years of age and older.
 
The Ham and Eggs proposal was first presented to California voters as Proposition 25 in the 1938 general election. The initiative was narrowly defeated with a statewide vote of 1,398,999 to 1,143,670. Because of the closeness of the vote, the movement’s backers, the Retirement Life Payments Association (RLPA) decided to try again. They were able to secure over one million petition signatures—enough to persuade Governor Culbert Olson to call a special election for November 1939.