Where’d That Come From?

I love learning about the etymology of food — why things are named what they are and how it came about.

A lot of favorites were named after specific people: Who was the Melba from melba toast? The Benedict from Eggs Benedict?

Listverse has a list of ten foods named after people, including Nellie Melba (melba toast), Suzanne Reichenberg (Crêpes Suzette), James H Salisbury (The Salisbury Steak), Lemuel Benedict (Eggs Benedict), Robert Cobb (Cobb Salad), Maria Smith (Granny Smith apples), Caesar Cardini, (Caesar salad), Alfredo di Lelio (Fettuccine Alfredo), Sylvester Graham (graham crackers), John Montagu (sandwiches).

I was especially interested in the Granny Smith apples, which apparently started from a sapling that had started growing from a pile of rotten apples, and the Cobb salad — my favorite!

[image: flickr]