[coolj]

Okay, this might be a little off the wall. i got to talking about stuff with my mom, and she told me that she bought me some ramekins, and she was telling me that the clerk didn't know they were called ramekins. So I got to thinking, where does the name come from, like what I mean is why are the called ramekins instead of like sauce dishes ??, just curious.

 

[bandregg]

From Merriam-Webster on-line:

Etymology: French ramequin, from Low German ramken, diminutive of ram cream

 

[lotuscakestudio]

This is all I got....

 

[kuan]

From Larousse

There's a more thorough explanation in Larousse but that's all I'm willing to type

Kuan

 

[chefboy2160]

OK , so where did the term monkey dish come from ? People have laughed at me for years when I use this terminology outside of restraunts . I dont know where it came from ! Help . Doug.........

 

[coolj]

Good point Doug, although I've never heard the term monkey dish before please enlighten me., I guess it's sort of like the term sauterne, what's that all about ??. and also at work when somebody says steam kettle, they're refering to the huge soup pot hooked up to the steam source, but at home a steam kettle is what you boil to make a cup of tea.

 

[kuan]

Haha! Monkey dish is a 4" dish with flared sides, like if you get a side of brocolli at a diner it'll come in a monkey dish. Can you picture it now? Anyway that's funny... monkey dish

Kuan

 

[katew]

you mean a rarebit dish?

 

[miahoyhoy]

Three versions.

1) the dish resembles the dish used by organ grinder's monkeys to collect tips.
2) a frat house in NY had a monkey that served beer
3) just like monkeys hanging around in trees, the dish hangs around the plate.

jon

 

[dickvegas]

OK, what about Salamander or Buffalo chopper?

 

[chuck banas]

Origin of the name "Buffalo Chopper:"

http://wiki.answers.com/Q/What_is_a_buffalo_chopper

http://www.ehow.com/about_5125861_buffalo-chopper.html

Further evidence, from the National Provisioner, Sep. 26 1908 (click image for full context):



"A Buffalo chopper is also known as a food cutter. It is a commercial machine used to chop meat, vegetables, bread etc. It gets its name because the first food cutters made in the US were made by the [John E.] Smith Company in Buffalo. These machines had both the Smith name and Buffalo, NY cast into the support pieces for the machine. Buffalo was larger and more prominent lettering, hence the name "Buffalo CHopper." Just like 'Buffalo Wings,' no buffalo-just the location where they became famous.

"The origin of the name of the Buffalo Chopper food processing machine is in doubt. While some people claim its name is derived from its shape, others claim that the first machines were used in Buffalo, New York. Still, other people say that the Buffalo Chopper got its name because it was used originally to process tougher meats, and buffalo certainly falls into that category. While the origin cannot be authenticated, the use of the Buffalo Chopper is widespread today."

 

[teamfat]

I sort of recall some ancient myth about salamanders, the amphibians, being born in the fires of Hell.  That's a pretty hot place, so I've been told.

mjb.

 

[teamfat]

So I did a little research:

Numerous legends have developed around the salamander over the centuries, many related to fire. This connection likely originates from the tendency of many salamanders to dwell inside rotting logs. When placed into a fire, the salamander would attempt to escape from the log, lending to the belief that salamanders were created from flames — a belief that gave the creature its name.

mjb.