Enchilada; Minestrone; Spaghetti

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    More from THE CATERER AND HOUSEHOLD MAGAZINE.

ENCHILADA--OED has 1887, "a tortilla served with a sauce seasoned with chili."  THE CATERER (credited from John McIntyre in the Home Journal), September 1885, pg. 470, col. 1:  There are French pancakes served up with raw chopped onion and chili, called "enchilades."  There is "chil(sic)-con-carne," a grand apotheosis of hash.  There are "tomales," which, reduced to their original elements, are found to be a pig's jowl chopped and mixed with corn that has been previously ground in a primitive stone trough, the whole afterward wrapped in corn-husks and steamed.

MINESTRONE--OED has 1891, "a thick soup containing vegetables and rice or pasta."  THE CATERER, February 1887, pg. 177, col. 1:  The dish I mentioned--_minestrona_--is, as its name implies, merely a very thick soup, containing, chicken, or meat of any kind, slowly cooked together with various vegetables such as onions enough to flavor it, a few carrots nicely minced, and tomatoes which must predominate in the mixture.  The thickening can be made of either rice, macaroni, spaghetti, or vermicilli.  The minestrona makes a complete Italian repast--in other words, a one-dish dinner.

SPAGHETTI--OED has 1849 for "sparghetti," then 1888.  THE CATERER, December 1886, pg. 94, col. 2:  _The Editor_--...now that we are on the subject of Italian dishes, can you give the Club some information regarding "spaghetti?"  _The Doctor_--Yes, it is a paste somewhat similar to macaroni and like that article is cooked by the Italians in numerous ways.  The spaghetti is imported and you may obtain it in some of the stores here, if you will take the trouble to look for it.