Albondigas (1879, 1898)

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_albongiga._  A meatball flavored with vegetables and served with a sauce.
Albondiga (the name is the same in Spanish) is a popular dish in the Southwest
and comes from Mexico.  The name dates in English print to a 1923 menu at the
Sonora Cafe in Los Angeles as "Spanish meatball soup" and as "albondigas" at
its offshoot, El Cholo in 1927; it is almost always used in the plural,
"albondigas."
--John Mariani, ENCYCLOPEDIA OF AMERICAN FOOD AND DRINK (1999)

   DARE has 1940 for "albondigas."  OED has no entry and no citation
anywhere.


   22 November 1879, THE TWO REPUBLICS, pg. 2, col. 3:
      _A Mexican Fonda in Galveston._
   The Glaveston _Journal of Commerce_ contains the following notice.
         FONDA MEXICANA.
      Or the Mexican Restaurant.
   Is indeed something new in Galveston.  It is gracefully presided over b y
Mrs. Manuel Perez, who respectfully informs the public that she had opened a
First class Restaurant at the northwest corner of Tremont and Winnie streets, a
most convenient part of the city, where she will be pleased to serve her
patrons with Meals in Every Style to order, including the most popular Mexican
dishes, such as Chile con Carne, Frijoles, Tamales, Enchiladas, Tortillas,
Chocolate, Ostiones, Bacalao, Mole, Pulpetas, Albondigas, Huevos con Chile, superb
Coffee, etc., etc., all in superior style and neatness, at the "Fonda a la
Mexicana."  All American dishes to order as wanted.  Regular day board furnished
at $4 per week, in advance; monthly boarders also taken, and all prices to suit
the times.  Give us a call and trial.  Meals served at all hours, and Oysters
and Fish in every style.


   27 December 1898, THE TWO REPUBLICS, pg. 6, col. 1:
   The bill of fare is interesting to a stranger.  You first are served with
hot greasy dish-water called "caldo."  Then the "sopa" of rice is followed by
"puchero" that is boiled mutton bones with "garvanza," cabbage and carrots.
Then come eggs, "al ranchero," "albondigas" or small balls of mashed meat in
pepper sauce, "rajas" or cooked strips of biting peppers (green), "Chiles
rellenos" or green peppers stuffed with meat and cheese, "mole de guaxalote," or
turkey in a fiery sauce of red peppers, and in and over all "pulque," or the
white wine of the maguey plant, made out of old socks, bilge water and local
sandals (apparently.).