Dating of "Angels on Horseback"

[Michael McKernan]

Barry Popik wrote:

>1886 gets a thank you?

Yes, Barry.  For many types of research, antedating is not the most
important facet.  For my own purposes, data from any date are useful.  I
thank you for the item below.

>I realize no one (NO ONE!) checks this, the ADS-L archives, not even  the old
>ADS-L archives that destroyed so much of my work:

Guilty as charged in this specific case, Barry.  I assumed that my
extensive Googling would turn up ADS-L cites (but now,  I seem to remember
that only part of the archives can be found with Google).  In any event, my
query was specifically directed at OED entries, which thanks to the BBC
program and Chris Waigl, I can now, if temporarily, find for myself during
certain hours...  Of course, I'm very thankful to the several people who
have gone beyond OED to offer pro-quest and other data (to which I also
lack access).

>...
>ANGELS ON HORSEBACK & PIG IN A BLANKET--NY DAILY TRIBUNE, 2 April 1882,  pg.
>4, col. 4:
>OYSTER BLANKET--This is sometimes called in the country "pig  in a blanket."
>In England it is considered so good and "earthy" a dish,  that it is
>designated "angels on horseback."  It is a new (NEW!--ed.) and  delicious
>entree,
>especially for shy dinner guests who are thankful for  something to talk
>about in
>the first half hour of a dinner party....  [Interesting transformation of
>this English 'savoury' into an 'entree' or early course--M.M.]

Barry's find nicely wraps angels and pigs in one USA horse-blanket.

I also note that my citation from Miss Parloa's New Cookbook..., while
listed with a publication date of 1882, is also listed (by FEEDING AMERICA)
as c1880, which I believe means 'copyright 1880,' indicating an earlier
edition?   Miss P, however only speaks of 'little pigs,' to the great
neglect of cherubim, seraphim, etc.

Further citations would be most welcome, no matter what the date,
particularly if oysters are specified, or both angels and pigs are present
and accounted for.  Joel Berson has already provided a 1942 pig-in-blanket
(species unknown), for which I've thanked him privately, but now do so
publicly.  FYI, as I told Joel, I've turned up scallops, shrimp, dates
(stuffed with cheese), prunes, hot dogs and various sausages, ground beef,
and even water chestnuts(!) as occasional angels/pigs lurking in the
bedding or atop the beast.  Some of these are referred to as 'Devils on
Horseback.'  Also, there are some references to the addition of specific
(usually piquant) seasoning, resulting in 'Devils' instead of 'Angels,'
with the standards such as oysters or dates.  (Date-angels are--or
were--fairly common in England it seems, I suppose coming from the
'savoury' heritage, which approximates an after-dinner appetizer course.)

Thanks again to everyone, and Barry, the APPLAUSE LAMP is still lit for
your NYT online quotation of the day...

Michael McKernan

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