Did you know thatFrench friesaren’t French and Germanchocolate cakeisn’t German?
Did you ever wonder how hamburgers got their name when they have no ham in them?
As it turns out, there are all sorts of surprising stories behind the names of your favorite foods.
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And for more, check out these15 Classic American Desserts That Deserve a Comeback.
It was poured over somebeefand became a household hit.
Thus, the legendary dish was born.
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The dish took off and began appearing on menus across the state.
And his legacy lives on.
Montagu’s great-great-great-great-great-great grandson, Orlando Montagu, founded a chain calledEarl of Sandwich.
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According toThe New York Times, the dish was dreamed up by maitre-d’hotel Oscar Tschirky.
Today, it’s still served at the Waldorf and on menus all over the country.
The rest, as they say, is history.
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The unlikely baking method was conceived by an 18th-century scientist named Sir Benjamin Thompson, according toNPR.
Ranhofer had a penchant for making subtle cultural commentary with his food.
The name “Baked Alaska” stuck and evolved into the treat we know and love today.
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But the original and truest version is made of thinly sliced or pounded pieces of raw meat.
“Another thing Western people did not eat was seaweed, so I tried to hide it.
I made the roll inside out.
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A lot of people from out of town came to my restaurantlots from Los Angelesand they loved it.
That’s how it got called the California roll.”
Fettuccine Alfredo
The dish we know asfettuccine Alfredowas almost “fettuccine Ines.”
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(Just in case it wasn’t clear, yes, “burro” means butter.)
Now, the Hemingway hot spot claims they were the ones who Americanized the sandwich.
No wonder they’re so delicious.
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He deregulated the price of bread in 19th century Austria at the insistence of the local bakers' guild.
In return, the guild named the most popular bread after him.
So clearly,Americans really butchered the name of this one.
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He offered to make them something out of the ingredients he had on hand in his closed kitchen.
Now, we can all be grateful for Nacho.
The easy way to makehealthier comfort foods.
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It’s dry British humor at its finest.
And if you ask us, it’s pretty decadent.
He named it after Tso Tsung-tang, a major Hunanese military figure of the 19th century.
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“But originally the flavors of the dish were typically Hunaneseheavy, sour, hot, and salty.”
Cobb Salad
This iconic chopped salad was borne out of practicality.
Charles Grey was the second Earl Grey and the British Prime Minister in the 1830s.
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And thus, the name was born.
And according to the acclaimedchef’s website, there are two possible origins for the name.
Others insist that it was created for a reception held in Wellington, New Zealand.
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But no matter its roots, Beef Wellington is certainly something to add to your foodie bucket list.
Gumbo
This Louisiana staple is packed with meat or seafood, onions, peppers, and celery.
Buffalo Wings
Why are they called Buffalo wings if they’re made of chicken, you ask?
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It’s because of their place of origin.
She served them with blue cheese and celery stalks because that’s what she had readily available.
The Bellissimos' happy accident would forever change sports bars and game-day parties.
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The owner of Harry’s, Giuseppe Cipriani, created the beverage in 1948.
At the time, New Orleans was a major port for banana shipments coming from South and Central America.
These ground beef patties got their name from their place of origin… sort of.
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Eventually, the name got shortened to plain old “hamburgers.”
Grits were initially made by Native Americans, who ground up corn kernels to make a porridge.
According toSouthern Living, early settlers imitated the process and re-named them “grits.”
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The beverage caught on, and soon enough, it became an American classic.
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