Monkey Bread and Elephant Ears; Inns & Outs

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MONKEY BREAD & ELEPHANT EARS

     What could interest a "hot dog" guy more than "monkey bread" and
"elephant ears"?
     Neither term is in THE EATEN WORD (1995) by Jay Jacobs.  Martha
Barnette's LADYFINGERS & NUN'S TUMMIES: A LIGHTHEARTED LOOK AT HOW FOODS GOT
THEIR NAMES (1997) has no monkey bread and just a throw-away line about
elephant ears.
    John Mariani's ENCYCLOPEDIA OF AMERICAN FOOD & DRINK (1999; the new
standard; I'm practically co-author by now) does not have elephant ears.
There's an entry for monkey bread:  "The origin of the name is unknown..."
    "Monkey bread" is not in DARE and not in OED.  It is American, but from
where??

16 December 1997, NEWSDAY, pg. A15--Dani--who met her second husband, Buddy
Greco, through the auspices of Sam Giancana, and later married TV star David
Janssen--hosts Hollywood's most down-home Oscar party, with "farm-food" she
cooks herself, and monkey bread that is apparently legendary.

28 November 1997, LOS ANGELES TIMES, culinary, pg. 2--Dear SOS: I know Cheese
Monkey Bread is an old recipe, but I need it if you have it.--BOB.  Dear Bob:
Ah, memories.  This bread was a rage in the '60s and '70s, when bakeries in
Los Angeles began selling it.  Clever readers reconstructed the recipe, and
we've been printing it ever since.  Later we developed a short-cut recipe,
using refrigerator crescent rolls.  Here are both recipes.

June 1997, SOUTHERN LIVING, pg. 182 (abstract)--Recipes for a breakfast
buffet: orange-raisin muffins, cranberry-raspberry drink, bacon monkey bread,
scrambled egg enchiladas, and apple fritters.

16 February 1996, NEW ORLEANS TIMES-PICAYUNE, pg. L32--Favorites from past
years include monkey bread, a cinnamon-roll-style Southern specialty prepared
by Sylvia Cook, wife of Dillard University president Samuel DuBois Cook, and
West Indian jollof rice.

26 October 1995, LOS ANGELES TIMES, pg. 1A--A carpinteria bakery sells pie,
carrot cake and monkey bread--a sticky cinnamon bun with caramel and nuts
glopped on.

12 January 1995, NEW ORLEANS TIMES-PICAYUNE, pg. F2--Another treat we as
children enjoyed during the holidays was monkey bread.  I all but had
forgotten about it until a friend brought Rock and me a pan of this still
warm from her oven wrapped in a thick towel on the morning of New Year's Eve.
 I remember it being made from scratch, but made with canned buttermilk
biscuits, it's still good!

November 1994, SOUTHERN LIVING, pg. 200 (abstract)--An easy holiday menu for
a gathering of friends is presented.  Recipes include Dijon dressing, hot
crab-and-cheese dip, bacon monkey bread, pecan-crusted turkey cutlets and
Swiss chicken thighs.

October 1990, SOUTHERN LIVING, pg. 148 (abstract)--Recipes for pumpkin bread,
monkey bread, and Irish soda bread.

Nov./Dec. 1985, AMERICANA, pp. 38-47+ (abstract)--Christmastime recipes from
the Queen Victoria Inn (Cape May, NJ) include Steamed Cranberry Pudding with
Custard Sauce, Eggs Florentine, Mincemeat Brunch Cake, Pumpkin Monkey Bread,
Miniature Fruit Cake, and Poppy-Seed Bread.

November 1984, ESQUIRE, pp. C22-24 (abstract)--An array of traditional and
modern sweets makes a particularly effective combination for Christmas
celebrations.  Recipes: mulled-wine punch, Yule log with mocha frosting,
poppy-seed cake, Christmas pudding candy, and snickerdoodles.  Also included
are President and Mrs. Reagan's recipes for persimmon pudding, brandy whipped
cream sauce, and monkey bread.

    To be continued.

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INNS AND OUTS

    From the book INNS AND OUTS (1939) by Julius Keller (an old-time NYC
restaurant guy):

Pg. 21:  Lunchroom slang had its origin in these two widely known beaneries
(Boss Tweed and Jim Fisk hashhouses on Chatham Street--ed.).  Fish cakes were
"fried sleeve buttons."  Oatmeal was "a plate of summertime."  When the
waiter sang out, "coffee in the dark," it meant that a cup of black coffee
was wanted.  Pork and beans were known as "a band of music with the leader."
They called pork chops without gravy " a sheeny funeral with the hearse."
Pg.49:  ...my "fall money."  If you do not by any chance know what "fall
money" is, let me explain that the term is one used by the underworld to
describe a stake which crooks keep in reserve against emergency, such as
being required to put up bail for themselves or having to pay for the
services of a mouthpiece.  (See RHHDAS--ed.)
Pg. 97:  In the jargon of Tenderloin drinking dumps, a "whiskey down" meant a
drink of some nonintoxicating beverage which resembled rye and which was
served in a regular whiskey glass.
Pg. 120:  The dip privileges, in case you are unfamiliar with the lingo of
the underworld, would be an exclusive concession to the Jink to pick the
pockets of customers.
Pg. 131:  Blanche Ring...sang her famous ditty about "rings on her fingers,
bells on her toes."
Pg. 184:  ...Peacock Alley, the sumptuous corridor which ran parallel to
Thirty-fourth Street where beautifully gowned women and impeccably dressed
men preened themselves...
Pg. 236:  ...Wall Street "boiler rooms," through which phony securities were
sold to suckers.