Piccalilli
Piccalilli is an English [1] interpretation of Indian pickles, a relish of chopped pickled vegetables and spices;[2] regional recipes vary considerably.
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Etymology[edit]
The Oxford English Dictionary traces the word to the middle of the 18th century when, in 1758, Hannah Glasse described how "to make Paco-Lilla, or India Pickle".[3] The more familiar form of the word appears a decade later in a book for housekeepers in a section on how "to make Indian pickle, or Piccalillo".[4] The spelling "piccalilli" can be seen in an advertisement in a 1799 edition of The Times.[5]
British piccalilli[edit]
British piccalilli contains various vegetables— invariably cauliflower and vegetable marrow —and seasonings of mustard and turmeric. A more finely chopped variety "sandwich piccalilli" is also available from major British supermarkets. It is used as an accompaniment to foods such as sausages, bacon, eggs, toast, cheese, and tomatoes. It is similar to a sweet pickle such as Branston Pickle, except it is tangier and less sweet, coloured bright yellow (using turmeric) rather than brown, the chunks are larger, and it is usually used to accompany a dish on a plate rather than as a bread spread.[citation needed] It is popular as a relish with cold meats such as ham and brawn, and with a ploughman's lunch. It is produced both commercially and domestically - the latter product being a traditional mainstay of Women's Institute and farmhouse product stalls.
American piccalilli[edit]
In the Northeastern United States, commercial piccalillis are based on diced sweet peppers, either red or green. This style is very similar to sweet pepper relish, with the piccalilli being distinguished by having a darker red or green color and like British piccalilli, the chunks are larger and it is tangier and less sweet.[citation needed] It is a popular topping on such foods as hamburgers and hot dogs. British-style yellow piccalilli is also available.
In the Midwestern United States, commercial piccalillis are based on finely chopped gherkins; bright green and on the sweet side, they are often used as a condiment for Chicago-style hot dogs. This style is sometimes called "neon relish".[7]
In the Southern United States, piccalilli is not commonly served.[8] In its place, chow-chow, a relish with a base of chopped green (unripe) tomatoes is offered. This relish may also include onions, bell peppers, cabbage, green beans and other vegetables. While not exactly similar to other piccalillis, chow-chow is often called as such and the terms may be used interchangeably.[9][10]
Media references[edit]
As a term for a mixed collection, piccalilli lends its name to several books of poems, for example, Piccalilli: A Mixture, by Gilbert Percy,[11] (publ. 1862), and Dilly Dilly Piccalilli: Poems for the Very Young, by Myra Cohn Livingston (publ. 1989).[12] Mr Piccalilli is the name of a character in the children's book Mr Pod and Mr Piccalilli, by Penny Dolan (publ. 2005).[13]
See also[edit]
References[edit]
- ^ http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/8370054.stm
- ^ Spelling as per The Chambers Dictionary, 1994, ISBN 0-550-10255-8.
- ^ H. Glasse, Art of Cookery, 6th Ed. 1758, (page 377)
- ^ Elizabeth Raffald, The experienced English housekeeper, 7th ed., Sold by R. Baldwin, 1769, 384 pages (page 337)
- ^ Times 3 Jan 1799. (Advert)
- ^ Maxwell Alexander Robertson, English reports annotated, 1866-1900, Volume 1, Publisher: The Reports and Digest Syndicate, 1867. (page 567)
- ^ Zeldes, Leah A. (2010-07-20). "Origins of neon relish and other Chicago hot dog conundrums". Dining Chicago. Chicago's Restaurant & Entertainment Guide, Inc. Retrieved 2010-07-31.
- ^ http://www.recipetips.com/glossary-term/t--38072/piccalilli.asp
- ^ Zeldes, Leah A. (2010-08-18). "Eat this! Chow chow and piccalilli pickle the Southern harvest". Dining Chicago. Chicago's Restaurant & Entertainment Guide, Inc. Retrieved 2010-09-10.
- ^ http://www.practicallyedible.com/edible.nsf/pages/american_piccalilli
- ^ Gilbert Percy, Piccalilli: a mixture, Publisher: S. Low Son and Co., 1862. (at Google Books)
- ^ Myra Cohn Livingston, Dilly dilly piccalilli: poems for the very young, Illustrated by Eileen Christelow, Publisher: M.K. McElderry Books, 1989, ISBN 0-689-50466-7, ISBN 978-0-689-50466-2, 68 pages.
- ^ Penny Dolan, Mr Pod and Mr Piccalilli, Illustrated by Nick Sharratt, Publisher Walker Books Ltd, 2005, ISBN 0-7445-4066-6, ISBN 978-0-7445-4066-6, 32 pages.
External links[edit]
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Look up piccalilli in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. |
