Birthday Restaurant; Reuben & Rachel; Swaptions; Butter's Comments

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BIRTHDAY RESTAURANT--It's not a very popular word combination, with only
about 30 hits each on Google and its newsgroups.  However, there's been a
recent NEW YORK OBSERVER article by Alexandra Jacobs on this (also on
Google), so it might pick up steam.  A "birthday restaurant" is a place where
you go to celebrate your birthday.  Some New Yorkers try to avoid them for
just this reason.

REUBEN & RACHEL--I've done much work on the Reuben sandwich, but little on
the Rachel.  It's not as popular, but it should be recorded.  It's in the LA
Public Library's online menu collection.  The earliest R&R is from
Arbuckle's, 1101 Sophia Street, Fredericksburg, VA, from 1983.  Also on the
menu are "Long Island Ice Tea," "Colorado Bulldog," and "Potato Skins."  A
REUBEN is corned beef, sauerkraut, Swiss cheese, and thousand island dressing
on rye bread.  A RACHEL is corned beef, cole slaw, Swiss cheese and thousand
island dressing on rye bread.

BRITISH BURGER/LONDON BURGER--I recently posted from Alaska about a "London
Burger" that contained Canadian bacon and American and Swiss cheeses.  A
1980s menu in the LAPL collection from Denny's (a large restaurant chain)
has, in its "Hamburger Hall of Fame," a "Britishburger" with bacon slices and
melted cheese.  Others on this list can verify any geographical and culinary
accuracy.

MOZZARELLA STICKS--I don't know what the upcoming OED "mozzarella" entry will
look like, but "mozzarella sticks" have become very popular, especially after
Burger King introduced them to its menu.  Tommy Lasorda's Ribs and Pasta,
14131 Marquesas Way, Marina Del Ray, had "Fried Mozzarella Sticks" on its
menu in 1987.

SWAPTIONS--I found this word while catching up on my reading.  I checked, and
it hasn't been mentioned on ADS-L, it's not on the WordSpy, and it's not in
the OED.  It's standard terminology and it shouldn't fall unnoticed.

O.T.:  RON BUTTERS' COMMENTS ("stick to business")
   Yes, I'm deeply offended by Ron's comments.  It's no secret at all that
there are many lawyers on this list.  An off-topic legal comment is intended
for them and a few other people.  I don't have to explain that, but I guess
that I do.
   I do thousands of etymological posts ("business") that involve a great
deal of effort.  "Ham sandwich" is a very good example.  Years ago, I
e-mailed my own law school about this, and got no reply.  So I spent a great
deal of my own money and flew to Berlin to speak directly to Sol Wachtler.
And I got hit for law school donations while at a concentration camp.  I
returned to the NYPL, found the quote, and posted it here free of charge.
Some people might want to know how I'm able to do this business.
   Stick to business?  That's the point I was trying to make!  It's a
"business" where I don't get paid and seldom get credit or recognized for my
work.  I am able to do the "business" only because no one loves me, I have no
children, both of my parents are dead, I live in a very tiny apartment, and
I'm able to work at a government job where I deny people due process of law.
  Ron can separate one from the other.  But for me, the sadness will always
be there.