There are some words we use so often, we never give a thought to their roots. There are many foods that contain the name of a place.
We say the name, and don't think twice about it. Some of these names actually are rooted in the place where the food originated, such as buffalo wings or Chicago-style pizza. Then there's baked Alaska. It looks like a snowy mound straight out of Alaska, but did you know the dish originated at Delmonico's Restaurant in New York City? When the Alaskan territory was purchased in 1876, the restaurant decided to celebrate and create this luscious dessert. It was a hit then and still is today. Who would have thought?
Boston cream pie is a real misnomer. I've never been able to figure out why it's called a "pie" since it's mostly cake with pudding in the middle and chocolate frosting on top. It did originate in Boston, at a restaurant, so at least that part of the name is correct. German chocolate cake is another misleading name. It started with chocolate maker Sam German, who invented the baking bar we know today as Baker's German Sweet Chocolate. The company originally named it Baker's German's Sweet Chocolate, and notice the "'s" after the name German. A woman used this chocolate to make a cake and she sent her recipe to a newspaper in Dallas in 1957.
When the paper printed her recipe, sales took off, and then other newspapers started publishing the recipe, too. Somewhere along the line, the "'s" after German's name got dropped, and it's been that way ever since. So when you eat that cake, celebrate the man, not the country.
There are dozens of other stories like this, all just as interesting. If you want to read more stories like this, type "food place names" into your favorite browser and read away.
New Books
"The Amen Solution" by Daniel Amen approaches weight loss in a new way. He believes weight problems originate in the brain and to lose weight you have to conquer the brain problem first. He outlines five brain patterns associated with weight and you'll use this book to determine the right pattern and weight loss plan to achieve your goal. You'll boost your willpower, quit emotional overeating, make small lifestyle changes, and prepare delicious meals using the recipes given.
The Andreas sisters are all named after Shakespearean women in Eleanor Brown's novel "The Weird Sisters." Each has returned to their childhood home because of their aging parents, but each has a secret she's not willing to share. The story follows their lives after leaving home and setting out into the world, and how life for each has been very different than originally planned.
You may know her as "M" or as Elizabeth I in "Shakespeare in Love." Judi Dench tells the story of her life in "And Furthermore." Her career spans, movies, plays, classical theater, television and more. She also talks about her early life as well as her family. Fans will enjoy reading her book.
Thomas Nesbitt lives alone in Maine after his divorce, and keeps to himself in "The Moment," a novel by Douglas Kennedy. When a package arrives with a postmark from Berlin, he is taken back in time. The box is from a women he passionately loved more than two decades ago. What will he find in the box? Why is she sending it to him now?
"The House That Ruth Built" by Robert Weintraub features the Yankee Stadium that opened in 1923. Babe Ruth hit a home run during the season opener, and the Yankees took off. The team became the one to beat and this book takes baseball fans down memory lane in re-creating games of the day.
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Marie Bruni is director of Huntington Memorial Library in Oneonta. Her column appears in the community section of the Daily Star every Thursday. Her columns can be found online at www.thedailystar.com/librarycorner.
