Popular Foods And Drinks Named After Real People From History
What could possibly make a delicious dish even better? Well, how about a storied past that led it to be named after a real person from history? These 40 famous foods and drinks got their names from a whole host of history-making figures. We’re talking superstar golfers, Hollywood starlets, rock guitarists, royalty — you name it! And their stories are fascinating. So grab a seat at the table and prepare yourselv for a feast like no other.
1. Oysters Rockefeller
Few dishes scream “luxury” quite like oysters. But in 1889 a Louisiana restaurant introduced a new take on the meal that changed things forever. The establishment in question was Antoine’s, located in New Orleans. The cooks were hoping to assemble a worthwhile substitute to escargot on their menu. They needed something eye-catching and luxurious.
So, they came up with Oysters Rockefeller — a baked mollusk covered in breadcrumbs and a delicious green sauce. It got its name from America’s wealthiest man at the time, John D. Rockefeller, due to the relish’s “richness.” Clever!
2. Cobb salad
The Hollywood Brown Derby restaurant was one of the places to be in Tinseltown. And after a taxing day at work, the owner made a tasty bit of history in 1937. He was looking to make himself an evening meal in the kitchen, so he grabbed some leftovers out of the fridge and put a salad together.
He also dropped a handful of bacon ends into the mix before dicing it up. Then, just a few hours after eating it, a frequent visitor asked for the meal that the owner had made for himself. The owner's name? Bob Cobb! If this story is to be believed, we have Bob Cobb (and that hungry visitor) to thank for the Cobb salad.
3. Granny Smith apples
The year was 1868, and Maria “Granny” Smith was hard at work on the family orchard in Sydney, Australia. A short time before then, they’d thrown a helping of undesirable crab apples in with their compost, which also contained additional “apple scraps.”
Due to that, a tree sprouted from the pile with some mouthwatering green fruit hanging off its branches. Those apples were subsequently harvested, and soon earned the Granny Smith moniker. So yes, their creation was a happy accident!
4. Caesar salad
Hands up if you thought Caesar salads were connected to Julius Caesar. Don’t be embarrassed — it’s a common misconception! Instead, this delicious salad was created by a very bright restaurateur back in the mid-1920s by the name of Caesar Cardini. As a direct result of prohibition, he switched his California eatery to Mexico, where U.S. citizens looked to obtain alcohol.
When they packed his place out on Independence Day in 1924, Cardini had to make meals with dwindling ingredients, including Parmesan, eggs, garlic, and olive oil. And thus, the Caesar salad was born.