Edit 10 already, woah. Must be something special then. Well, 3 weeks ago we posted an Instagram message that contained the following question: ‘What Christmas-related dish would you like to cover us?’ We received 2 requests: Pigs in a Blanket and Beef Wellington.
Stefan and I must say that we were a bit disappointed in all of you, only 2 replies?! C’mon, next time we want way more reactions! The advantage of only 2 replies is that I didn’t have to write as much as expected, so thank you for that (wink). Ludolf and Pieter, this one is for you!
Pigs in a Blanket
Pigs in a Blanket date back to the 1600s, although many websites say 1957. In the 1600s, field operators would dip leftover meat into the dough and eat it as lunch, especially during the cold winter days. The Pigs in a Blanket would bring a kind of warmth and home-feeling when eaten. It was an easy to make lunch meal, convenient and cheap. But this lunch meal didn't burden the name of Pigs in a Blanket until 1957 when the lady in Red introduced it to the whole of the USA.
Red, Red, Red
The Lady in Red refers to Betty Crocker, a fictional character created by the company Washburn-Crosby Company. Betty Crocker was of course created for a reason. She had to represent the many housewives of that time, a kind of champion for them. The Red Lady gave advice on how the women could save time on cooking, while their husbands were working or getting drunk in a nearby pub. She gave this advice on the Midcentury radio and through her many cookbooks. The most famous one is called Betty Crocker's Picture Cook Book, but its nickname probably holds more fame: 'The Big Red.'
In her cookbook 'Betty Crocker's Children Cook Book for Boys and Girls (1957) the first recipe of Pigs in a Blanket was written. The original recipe lets you choose what kind of meat you will wrap with dough. It can be hot dogs, cocktail sausages, breakfast links, or Wiener sausage. The recipe also lets you choose the blanket for the pig: pancake, biscuit, or croissant dough.
Murika!
Over time, countries began to have their preferences on how to prepare the Pigs in a Blanket. The snack even began to receive new names like Wiener Winks, Kilted Sausages, and Devils on Horsebacks (Wiener Winks is definitely my personal favorite).
So, the Pigs in a Blanket you will probably find on your Christmas table comes from the USA. This is the classic hot dog in croissant dough. But you won't find it on your average European Christmas dinner table. It is a typical American side-dish to serve with Christmas. It became a Christmas dish because of the nostalgia it brings for many Americans. Why? Between 1960 and 1990 American moms used to cook this all the time for their children, because of the Lady in Red. Those children now decide their own Christmas dinners. Nostalgia.
Beef Wellington
IT'S RAW! I don't know what's more famous. Beef Wellington in general or the Beef Wellington from chef Gordon Ramsey. Beef Wellington is a dish that consists of beef tenderloin that's coated in pâté (sometimes foie grâs) and duxelles (a mixture of mushrooms, onion, black pepper, and butter), which is then wrapped in Parma ham and as last puff pastry. The Beef Wellington is traditionally served with a Madeira sauce.
The history of Beef Wellington is quite complicated and difficult. You would say that the answer is right in front of you. Well, if we have learned anything from the last 9 posts it is that nothing is as it seems.
To Battle!
Many websites suggest that the name of the dish is an homage to an Irish general of the British Army and who later became Prime Minister. The man who led an Anglo-Dutch-German army of approximately 73 000 soldiers during the Battle of Waterloo in 1815 into the bayonets of the French army led by none other than Napoleon Bonaparte. If you remember the history lessons from your high school, you know that this was the battle where Napoleon was finally defeated. Arthur Wellesley, 1st Duke of Wellington came out as the hero.
There are multiple stories on why this dish is an homage to Arthur Wellesley. The most obvious is that the Duke loved this dish so much he had to eat it every dinner. Another possible reason is that the form of a Beef Wellington resembles the Wellington Boot, literally a boot that was worn and popularized by Arthur Wellesley himself.
Another explanation is that the 1st Duke of Wellington had absolutely no concern about what kind of food he placed in his mouth as long as it tasted good. This gave room for the chef to experiment and so he created the Beef Wellington.
Not British
The funny thing is that there is no record in a British cookbook of the dish Beef Wellington, not until 1970. Since General Arthur Wellesley lived between 1769-1852 it would seem logical that you would find some kind of reference to Beef Wellington in a British cookbook. But like I said before, nothing is as it seems.
Apart from the name, there is absolutely no connection found between General Arthur Wellesley and Beef Wellington. The origin of the dish isn't even from England, something that is commonly misunderstood. In fact, Beef Wellington is a modern dish created in France that has been named in America after the Irish General Arthur Wellesley.
Location unknown...
By modern, I mean that the dish isn't that old. The first-ever mention of a Beef Wellington was in the Los Angeles Times of 28 October 1903. The paper had a special section with ideas and inspiration for dinner that evening. On 28 October in 1903, the chosen dish was 'Fillet of Beef, a la Wellington'.
Although the method of beef wrapping in pastry wasn't very new, Beef Wellington was. The dish became immensely popular in Europe and the USA. But the exact origin is still unknown, maybe we don't have to know. Like many of the world’s best dishes, it takes inspiration from many different places and cultures and has developed organically into what it is today.
‘Beef Wellington has to be the ultimate indulgence, it’s one of my all-time favorite main courses and it would definitely be on my last supper menu’. - Gordon Ramsay