Strange Culinary Names. Can You Think Of Any?

[advoca]

Seeing the posting by Cara for Mecklenburger Coloured Cat triggered off a thought. As has been pointed out, cat is not called for in the recipe any more than you will find dog in a Hot Dog.

But there are many strange culinary names. For example, you will not find any Rabbit in Welsh Rabbit or any Woodcock in Scotch Woodcock. Neither are there any toads in Toad in the Hole. And no meat is to be found in Mincemeat, and there is certainly no duck in a Bombay Duck, nor in Cold Duck.

And you will not find many parts of a buffalo in Buffalo Wings, or much lemon in Lemon Sole. Nor will you find much of Richard in Spotted Dick!

Can you think of other strange names for edible dishes?

[Michael in FtW]

Humm ... I have several recipes for Mincemeat that actually do call for minced meat. And Buffalo Wings refers to the supposed place of their origin (Buffalo, NY) - not an ingredient any more than Kansas City or Memphis BBQ contains any portion of Kansas City or Memphis in the recipe.

But, I will admit - some foods get strange names and even stranger connotations.

[jkath]

Actually, Welsh Rarebit is the correct spelling, from what I can remember. (Taken from the literal terms - rare, and just a bit)

Although I've caught myself chuckling at the recipes for "Hoppin' John"....

[Michael in FtW]

jkath - the way I heard it ... it really is Welsh Rabbit - the Rarebit is just to gussy it up and explain the lack of rabbit in the dish. According to a book I once read - the truth behind the name of the dish is this:

A Welshman went out hunting one day, promising his wife that he was going to bring home a big fat rabbit ... and several hours later around sunset she saw him walking home empty handed. So, she whipped up this dish and plopped it down in front of him and said, "Here's your Rabbit."

[expatgirl]

For those of you who know what "Rocky Mountain Oysters" are, THAT misnomer takes the cake for me---never tried them but have heard "not bad" and I'll just take their word for it. Anyone know how that name came about???? Really would be curious.

[Andy M.]

How about Johnny cake - very popular in hospitals. (I know, it was originally called journey cake).

Bubble and Squeak always intrigued me.

[Chef_Jimmy]

a peanut is neither a pea or a nut, it's a legume

[urmaniac13]

"Spotted Dick".... I wouldn't go into any details why I think this is a funny name, however this is a sort of pudding popular in the UK, spotted because it is dotted with currants, and Dick refers to "dough"...

[grumblebee]

Yorkshire pudding is an odd one... it's not pudding at all!

Fiddleheads is a funny name as well.

[auntdot]

Chicken oysters?

[GB]

The one that always got me was chicken friend steak.

[Sugarcane]

Ever spotted blood in your 'bloody Mary'?...

[GB]

No to mention any Mary in your Bloody Mary

[buckytom]

i like the upbeat terms used with citrus, like zest, or supremes.

what about sweetbreads? it's neither sweet, nor a bread. they're 2 types made from organs, thymus and pancreas.

[velochic]

Originally Posted by jkath

Actually, Welsh Rarebit is the correct spelling, from what I can remember. (Taken from the literal terms - rare, and just a bit)

I once read somewhere that it was originally a medieval English slur against the Welsh. Because it has no actual meat in it, the dish was called "Welsh Rabbit" to mock the Welsh. Supposedly they were too uncivilized and poor to cook meat in their dishes. In later days, they changed it to "Rarebit" instead to try to no longer offend the Welsh.

[advoca]

Ooh! The picture is not Spotted Dick. This delicious pudding (Spotted Dick) is white with dark spots like a Dalmation.

And yes, the correct name is Welsh Rabbit, not Rarebit. It is a kind of joke. (And speaking as a Welshman, we have never considered this a slur or a jibe.)

Incidentally, a friend has told me about English Monkey. Anyone know about this American dish? No monkies in this, obviously.

[mudbug]

Never heard of an American dish called English Monkey. Monkey bread, though.

[Andy M.]

Originally Posted by mudbug

Never heard of an American dish called English Monkey. Monkey bread, though.

Monkey bread doesn't count, it actually has monkey in it.

[mudbug]

[advoca]

Here is the recipe for English Monkey
1 cup stale bread crumbs
1/2 cup soft mild cheese, cut in small pieces
1 cup milk

1 tablespoon butter
1 egg

1/2 teaspoon salt
Few grains cayenne
Soak bread crumbs fifteen minutes in milk. Melt butter, add cheese, and when cheese has melted, add the soaked crumbs, the egg slightly beaten, and seasonings. Cook for three minutes, and pour over toasted crackers which have been spread sparingly with butter.

Incidenally, a speciality at Chinese banquets is called Monkey Brains, It is actually a fungus, thank goodness! No brains and no monkey.