Welsh Rabbit

Bunter · 156178. Tue Mar 13, 2007 11:44 am

What is the correct name for the dish that comprises toast topped with grilled cheese and mustard?

F: Welsh rarebit

A: Welsh rabbit

Welsh rabbit' was first mentioned in 1725. ('Welsh rarebit' on the other hand, was only cited in 1785.)

It was called "Welsh rabbit" because "Welsh" was a slur in the 17th and 18th Centuries for inferior quality.

The Victorians stumbled into the trap of thinking that the dish was initially called "Rarebit" and started to note it down in recipes as "Rarebit" rather than "Rabbit"...which is why most people mistakenly call it "Welsh rarebit" today.

Source:

http://www.etymonline.com/index.php?search=rarebit&searchmode=none
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Welsh_rabbit

eggshaped · 178337. Sun May 27, 2007 12:18 pm

In 1950s England, Pizza was known as "Italian Welsh rarebit"

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