nomenclature for specific dishes

[Gifted Gourmet]

What dishes do you know of that are named for either the hotel or restaurant they were first served in?

The quick answer is the much discussed Waldorf Salad in another current thread ...

Chicken Divan was the signature dish of a 1950s New York restaurant, the Divan Parisienne....

Perhaps for a specific person?

Chicken tetrazzini is named for the Italian opera singer Luisa Tetrazzini (1871-1941)..... and Peach Melba after Dame Nellie Melba ...

[Jensen]

dessert: Pavlova

cocktail: Bellini

[Really Nice!]

dessert: Pavlova

The most popular nod to this creation says in 1935, chef Herbert Sachse at Hotel Esplanade in Perth Australia created Pavlova after the Russian ballerina Anna Pavlova. He wanted to create a dessert that was as light and airy as her dancing. The circular meringue represents Anna's twirling skirt.

Check out Rare Bits if you're into this kind of food history. It's a good read.

[Gifted Gourmet]

What no Holiday Inn Hamsteak? or even Travelodge Tuna Noodle Casserole??

[Squeat Mungry]

Celery Victor was invented at The St. Francis Hotel in San Francisco by the legendary chef Victor Hirtzler.

How about a play? Green Goddess salad dressing was invented in 1915 at The Palace Hotel at the request of actor George Arliss when he was starring in William Archer's play of that name.

Cheers,

Squeat

[fifi]

What no Holiday Inn Hamsteak?   or even Travelodge Tuna Noodle Casserole??

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My all time favorite, IHOP I think, is Moons Over Mi-Hammie... Or something like that.

Who is the Diane in Steak Diane?

[chile_peppa]

How about the ubiquitous Caesar and Cobb salads, named respectively for the originating chef and for the owner of the Brown Derby restaurant?

Veal Oscar, for the King of Sweden

Graham crackers, for Sylvester Graham, who ranted against the horrible eating habits of Americans in the early 19th Century (sound like any modern reformers you might know?) -- what would he have thought of the sugary snacks that carry his name today?

edited: sorry, can't spell today

Edited October 25, 2004 by chile_peppa (log)

[eunny jang]

How about the ubiquitous Caesar and Cobb salads, named respectively for the originating chef and for the owner of the Brown Derby restaurant?

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I love Cobb salads, but has anyone seen the episode of Curb Your Enthusiasm where Larry has to have dinner with a very serious, brooding look-at-me-I'm-an-artist playwright who insists that his grandfather invented the Cobb salad, but had the idea and credit stolen from him? Hysterical.

Topic and actual content: Pommes Anna. Apple Charlottes, after Queen Charlotte (wife of George III). Beef Wellington! Melba Toast!

And, of course, the sandwich.

[jgarner53]

What about crepes suzettes?

or nana's spaghetti? Hmm, I guess that one's not as well known.

[Pan]

Isn't there some dish named after Giaochino Rossini?

[albiston]

Isn't there some dish named after Giaochino Rossini?

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Tournedos Rossini, Consomme Rossini, Maccaroni Rossini... and I think there's a few others. You can find a bit more info here.

Rossini was a seriuos gourmet; Careme once said that no one understood his dishes as good as Rossini did.

[jackal10]

Tayrand's CULINARY HISTORY

The definitive list is Louis Saulnier: Le Repertoire de La Cuisine

[andiesenji]

The Delmonico steak, since 1830, originated at Delmonico's restaurant in New York.

Delmonico -

Now of course, Emeril has traded on this famous name by using it for his Las Vegas restaurant.

[Gifted Gourmet]

Tayrand's CULINARY HISTORY

The definitive list is Louis Saulnier: Le Repertoire de La Cuisine

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Thanks for reminding me of the Talleyrand website again, jackal! It is superbly engrossing to me!

[Daniel Rogov]

When they wrote that lttle ditty "dear,dear what can the matter be" they were anticipating this thread. The list is simply too long to go into. Dishes have been named after whores, courtesans, princes, princesses and queens; kings, princes and emperors; generals, chefs and confectioners. If that isn't enough, dishes have been named in the nonor of composers, authors, actresses; gangsters, saints, a collection of certified perverts, and in general a goodly number of the members of various royal families. Also after quite a few fictitious characters.

To share a few (just free-associating and not even looking at any of my references) - among those you will find dishes named after: Madame Pompadour, Madame Recamier, Cardinal Richelieu, Rossini, Sacher, Brillat-Savarin, Agnes Sorel, St. Spiridon, Suzette, Talleyrand, Vatel, the Prince of Wales, Emile Zola, Varenne, EmpressEugenie, eleven different members of the de Medici family, Ludwig the Mad, Fanny de Beauharnais, Grimod de la Reyniere, Caesar Ritz, Escoffier, Anna Deslions, Louis XIV, Henry II, Henry IV, Lucullus, Mirabell, Mistral, Monselet, Murat, Nesselrode, Odysseus, Inspector Maigret, The Dukes of Albufera and Abrantes, Apicius, Auber, Berlioz, Madame du Barry, Colbert, Dumas, Edward VI, the Prince of Wales, etc, etc, etc

With all due respect to the "Talleyrand" list referenced above, my own puts that list to shame. I've written at one time or another about dishes named after some 560 various people. I'll make you a deal – send me a very (!!) generous advance and a good contract and the manuscript for the book will be on your desk within nine months.

Should your bank account not be up to that, should anyone care to post specific questions about specific dishes or people, I'll be delighted to post here.

Edited October 26, 2004 by Daniel Rogov (log)

[Gifted Gourmet]

Deal, Rogov! Do you accept Visa without a picture ID??

So, what dish is named for Ludwig of Bavaria?

[jackal10]

Which collection of certified perverts were you thinking of?

[Gifted Gourmet]

Which collection of certified perverts were you thinking of?

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There were other Ludwigs? This is the guy who built the Disneyesque fantasyland castle ... in Neuschwanstein ...or neufchatel or whatevah ....

[Daniel Rogov]

Melissa, Hi...

Before we start on this long route, two comments:

(1) Certified checks or cash only (and if cash I invite a banker to check each note to make sure there are no counterfeits)

(2) Let us all keep in mind that many of the recipes named after these illustrious and not-so-illustrious characters are based on the most classic and thus often quite outmoded rules of traditional French cuisine. That does not imply that they should not be made in their originals. In fact, going that route can be great fun.

As to Ludwig -

A Light Meal with Ludwig the Mad

Daniel Rogov

In a recent book, Heidelberg University history professor Albert

Werner suggests that Ludwig II of Bavaria was not deposed from his

throne so much because he was insane but because his behavior "was

embarrassing to those who thought their king should present himself

in a more dignified manner". Ludwig was possessed by a psychotic

lifelong passion for designing and building fairytale castles. He

was also, as one of his generals wrote, "a man possessed of an un-

imaginable genius for making others feel ridiculous".

In his personal life as well as in the political sphere,

Ludwig was taken to doing things on impulse. Theodor Hierneis,

a cook at Ludwig's court described the king as

a man of "unapproachable grandeur". Hierneis also wrote that "the

whims of the king were enough to make any of us mad". Hierneis was

referring to the frequent impulses which would make the king leave

his residence in Munich and go off to one of his numerous palaces

or hunting lodges in the Bavarian Alps. Since the king expected

formal meals wherever he went, the kitchen staff was forced to

precede him with "the necessary cooking utensils, tablecloths

linen napkins, and an entire service of fine China plates" and

often had to work in primitive and makeshift surroundings.

Even mealtimes were erratic, for Ludwig sometimes rose for break-

fast at about 6 in the afternoon, often took dinner at two in the

morning and then had a light supper at 6 or 7 a.m. In addition to

having to turn night into day the royal cooks also had to always

prepare food for four, because even when Ludwig dined alone he

imagined himself to be in the company of French kings. To further

complicate matters, Ludwig insisted that all of his meals be

served in the style of Louis XIV.

Ludwig enjoyed his meals but, because he had tooth trouble, his

chefs had to create delicacies made of finely minced

ingredients so that the king could enjoy them. On June 13,1885,

Ludwig dined in his favorite hunting cabins in the Tirol. The

meal started off with a consomme with liver dumplings, hechtenkraut,

a traditional favorite of German royalty and trout with

Hollandaise sauce. After a lemon sorbet, Ludwig continued

with chicken fricassee, a pate made from wild venison meat

and peas. The desserts included fruits in wine jelly and vanilla ice

cream with orange sauce. After dinng, Ludwig complemented his

servants on the quality of the meal.

One year later, after he had been declared insane and deposed from his

throne, Ludwig drowned in a lake near the cabin he had once enjoyed so much. After allis said and done, it may be that Ludwig's major failing

was that he behaved more like a romantic Wagnerian hero than a 19th

century monarch.

Following are two recipes, the first dedicated to Ludwig by his devoted

cook Hierneis

Consomme Ludwig

5 slices white bread, with crusts, cut into dice

1 cup lukewarm milk

350 grams liver, with all membranes and blood vessels removed

50 grams kidney fat

1 small onion

2 eggs

1 teaspon salt

pinch of marjoram

rind of 1 lemon, grated

about 1 cup breadcrumbs

8 cups beef consomme

Soak the bread in warm milk for 15 minutes and then squeeze out

the excess milk by hand. In a food processor or blender grind

together the bread, liver, kidney fat and onion. Stir in the eggs,

salt, marjoram and lemon rind and gradually add the breadcrumbs, a

tablespon at a time, until the mixture is firm enough to be shaped

into dumplings, each about 4 centimeters in diameter. (The dump-

lings can be most easily made if the hands are wet). Bring the

beef consomme to a boil and into this gently drop the dumplings.

Reduce to a low simmer and cook uncovered until the dumplings

float to the top (15 - 20 minutes). Serve the dumplngs in the

soup. (Serves 6 - 8).

Hechtenkraut

1 kilo sole fillets

1 medium onion, sliced

2 stalks celery, with leaves

8 peppercorns

1/4 teaspoon salt

12 slices bacon, diced

2 medium onions, chopped coarsely

1 cup dried breadcrumbs

1 1/2 kilos sauerkraut

1/2 cup butter

3 tablespoons flour

1/2 cup sour cream

salt and paprika to taste

1/2 kilo shrimp, boiled and shelled

In a heavy saucepan with water to cover poach the sole fillets

together with the sliced onion, celery, peppercorns and teaspoon

of salt. When the fish flakes easily to the touch of a fork

remove it gently from the liquids. Strain and set aside the

liquids.

In a large heavy skillet fry the bacon and in the fat saute the

chopped onions until they are golden brown.

Butter a 6 cup souffle dish and with 1/4 cup of the

breadcrumbs coat the bottom and sides. Place in a layer of 1/3 of

the sauerkraut. Over this place a layer of half the onion-bacon

mixture, and on this place a layer of half the fish. Repeat this

process so that the final layer is of sauerkraut.

In a small saucepan melt 3 tbs. of the butter and into this sir

the flour. Simmer, stirring regularly, over a low flame until the

flour begins to brown.

Add enough water to the reserved liquids in which the fish were

cooked to make 21/4 cups. Add these liquids to the butter and flour

mixture, mix well and add the sour cream. Stir until the mixture

is smooth and season with salt and paprika to taste.

Place the shrimp on top of the sauerkraut, pour over the sauce

and sprinkle over with the remaining breadcrumbs. Dot with the

remaining butter and bake in a medium-hot oven until the sauce is

nicely

[Daniel Rogov]

Jackal, Hello...

As to certified perverts, let it not be mine but societies' to make those judgements in this case. Truth is that I find some of the people so "listed" to have been really quite charming. Among those on the list: The Marquis de Sade, Vlad Dracula, Atilla the Hun, Lucky Luciano, Lizzie Borden, Adolph Hitler (I will NOT give the recipes for that one!), Meyer Lansky and Humbert Humbert.

[Gifted Gourmet]

Thank you for the Ludwig information, Rogov! and the recipes ...

Truly, he must have been quite the character .. perhaps someone has made a film version of his life? I would have but had promised you a book advance so I am actually "שקל חדש"-impaired at this time ...

As for Ludwig's voracious appetites, I rather imagine that he was among many crowned heads who ate in a romantically bizarre fashion which drove their cooks to despair ...

[jackal10]

There is a dish named for de Sade?? Plenty of Marquise (sole or potatoes for example), but none that relate to the original sadist, so far as I know. I don't even recall that actual food served at his fictional debauches were recorded

I guess you could claim a connection between Sacher-torte and Sacher-Masoch, but its a bit doubtful...

[fifi]

The Delmonico steak, since 1830, originated at Delmonico's restaurant in New York.

Delmonico -

Now of course, Emeril has traded on this famous name by using it for his Las Vegas restaurant.

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Actually, the family moved the restaurant (or opened another, I forget) to New Orleans around the turn of the century, I think. A few years ago, the remaining family, two elderly sisters as I remember, closed the venerable establishment, much to the dismay of loyal patrons. After a couple of years, the sisters approached Emeril to buy out and reopen the place, which he did. The Las Vegas venue is a legitimate spin off. A lot of classic dishes originated at Delmonico's. I will see what I can find on that. Some of them have name associations like the steak.

[Squeat Mungry]

Meyer Lansky and Humbert Humbert.

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Rogov, can I press for more information about the latter? I am a decades-long Nabokov "enthusiast", and have even, in my disorganized and dallying fashion, begun to put together materials for an article on food and dining in the stories and novels. I am aware there either is or was a restaurant called "Quilty's" in SoHo in NYC, but so far I am unaware of a particular dish (is it fictional or real?) nominally associated with "the vain and cruel wretch". (You can PM me if you like. Unfortunately, I am unable to offer money. )

Cheers,

Squeat

[Daniel Rogov]

Because of time limitations tonight (deadlines beckon and I am getting ready for a trip abroad), let me just say for the moment that the dish named after the Marquis de Sade was done so by chef Georges Blanc and for several years was listed on his menu when the restaurant was still called "La Mere Blanc" at Vonna. The dish, "cuisses de grenouilles a la Sade" was of frogs' legs with cream and shallots.

The Sacher torte is named after Franz Sacher, the conditore who used his money to build the Hotel Sacher (the Vienna located conditoria, the torte, and the hotel are still extraordinarily popular)

The dish named after Humbert Humbert was done so by a chef whose name has been lost to history working in an Istanbul restaurant who playfully renamed the traditional meatball dish kadin budu kofte after Humbert. (The joke of course is that "kadin budu kofte" translates as "Young womens' thighs")