Buzz
Many of the foods we enjoy were named after their creators or inspired by their recipes. So many dishes we take for granted have a namesake, and we often don't even realize it. Here are ten foods that owe both their name and popularity to the person behind them. Feel free to share any others you can think of in the comments.
10. Nellie Melba
Helen Porter Mitchell (1861-1931), known by her stage name Nellie Melba, started her opera career and became a celebrated singer. In 1897, while staying at the Savoy Hotel in London, Auguste Escoffier created Melba Toast in her honor. This is thinly sliced toasted bread, typically served with soups. Escoffier, who was a great admirer of Melba, had already invented Peach Melba for her four years earlier, in 1893. It was during his time at the Savoy that Escoffier and César Ritz met, and just a year later, the two would join forces to open the first Ritz Hotel.
9. Suzanne Reichenberg
Crêpes Suzette (thin pancakes drizzled with orange liqueur and sometimes flambéed) were created by the famous French chef Auguste Escoffier in tribute to the distinguished French actress (and Baroness) Suzanne Reichenberg (1853-1924). While this is the most widely accepted origin of the dish, with Escoffier being credited with shaping modern French cuisine, some alternative stories suggest the dish was first made by a 15-year-old assistant chef serving Queen Victoria's son. However, this is highly unlikely, as a young assistant chef would not have been trusted with preparing food for royalty.
8. James H Salisbury
In 1886, James Salisbury introduced the Salisbury Steak, initially developed as a treatment for conditions like gout, bronchitis, and tuberculosis. His belief was that well-cooked ground beef should be consumed three times daily, accompanied by a glass of hot water before and after each meal. Though the supposed medicinal benefits are debatable, the dish itself gained significant fame. During the World Wars, there were even calls to rename hamburgers as Salisbury Steaks, but these efforts were ultimately unsuccessful.
7. Lemuel Benedict
Lemuel Benedict, a New York socialite, returned to his Waldorf-Astoria hotel one morning after a long night of drinking, requesting a specific remedy for his hangover. His order was for toast, a poached egg, bacon, and hollandaise sauce. While his original request was modified with an English muffin instead of toast and ham instead of bacon, it led to the creation of what we now know as Eggs Benedict. The debate on whether it truly cures a hangover continues to this day.
6. Robert Cobb
In 1936, Robert Cobb, the owner of the famous Brown Derby restaurant in Hollywood, found himself in a predicament one evening. With all the guests and staff having left for the night, he had to prepare dinner for Sid Grauman of Grauman’s Chinese Theatre. Using leftover ingredients from the refrigerator, Cobb quickly assembled a salad. The result was so satisfying that he decided to add it to the restaurant's menu, and thus, the Cobb Salad was born.
5. Maria Smith
While tending to her farm near Sydney, Australia, Maria Smith noticed a small sapling sprouting where she had discarded some rotting apples. She replanted the tree, which eventually produced a unique variety of green apples with a tangy flavor. Maria shared these apples with her friends and neighbors, and they became increasingly popular. Though Maria passed away in 1870, her 'Granny Smith' apples continue to be enjoyed by many today.
4. Caesar Cardini
There's a common misconception that the Caesar Salad is named after the Roman Emperor, but in reality, it was named after Caesar Cardini, a Mexican restaurateur from Tijuana. During the July 4th weekend of 1924, Caesar first served finger foods by placing garlic-scented leaves on platters. He later began shredding the leaves into smaller pieces, which eventually evolved into the salad we know today. The dish gained fame when it became a favorite of Hollywood stars visiting Tijuana and soon appeared on the menus of iconic restaurants such as Romanoff’s and Chasen’s.
3. John Montagu 4th Earl of Sandwich
The distinction between legend and fact remains a topic of debate, but the widely told story suggests that Montagu (1718-1792) was once in a card game when he requested a servant to place some roast beef between two slices of toast, allowing him to eat with one hand while continuing to play. Other versions claim he was writing or hunting when the first sandwich was ordered, but the card game version is considered the most credible, given that the Earl hosted long card games and was a member of the Hellfire Club.
2. Sylvester Graham
Sylvester Graham (1794-1851) was a pioneer of the American health food movement, advocating for the avoidance of white bread and meat, while promoting the consumption of more fruits, vegetables, and whole grains. His ideas made him a controversial figure, especially among bakers and butchers, but he counted influential figures like Thomas Edison and Joseph Smith, the founder of Mormonism, as supporters of his healthy eating principles. While some of Graham’s ideas have stood the test of time, he would likely be dismayed to learn that his original whole wheat crackers are now sugary treats made with bleached flour.
1. Alfredo di Lelio
Chef Di Lelio, an Italian culinary expert, created a dish out of care for his wife, who was feeling frail after childbirth. He made a rich sauce from cream, butter, and Parmesan cheese to help restore her strength. He then paired the sauce with fettuccine, giving birth to the iconic dish, Fettuccine Alfredo. The dish gained massive popularity in the United States when Hollywood stars Douglas Fairbanks and Mary Pickford tasted it during their honeymoon at Alfredo’s restaurant in Rome.
