Food Named After a Place

It is interesting to know that before the opening of supermarkets and name brands food was often named for the places where it was grown, produced, or manufactured. There are certain foods that you can probably guess where it got its name and certain foods you would be surprised about.

Bologna, Italy gave its name to that finely ground American pork sausage known as baloney which is a favorite ingredient on sandwiches.

The delicious sweet orange-fleshed melon known a cantaloupe got its name from Cantalupo in Sabina, Italy. When the melons first arrived in Italy from Armenia or Persia they were planted in the Papal Gardens in Cantalupo.

The medium-spicy red pepper usually in powdered form Cayenne Pepper was named after The Cayenne River in French Guiana. This was the first place that the pepper was commercially traded along the river in this country in northeastern South America.

Corinth, Greece gives its name to currants. Originally known are “raysond of corunce” derived from the Old French “raisings de Corinthe.

Newton, Massachusetts provided the name for the popular soft cookies Fig Newtons. Originally produced in the 1890s, the Kennedy Biscuit Company named a lot of their products after surrounding towns.

The most iconic food in America the hamburger got its name from Hamburg, Germany. It is most likely that immigrants from Hamburg brought this idea to America.

Hot dog is a nickname and was not always referred to as a hot dog. These sausages were known as frankfurters. Their name comes from Frankfurt, Germany where these sausages were first made in the 13th century.

Jalapeno peppers are medium-hot green or red chili peppers that got their name from Xalapa or Jalapa, Mexico. The first chilies were grown around this city.

Jarlsberg a popular mild cow's milk cheese got its name from Jarlsberg, Norway where the cheese originated.

Key Lime Pie is a delicious pie made with Key lime juice, condensed milk, and egg yolks, and can have a meringue topping. It got its name from the Florida Keys in the US state of Florida. The lime used for this pie was first cultivated in the Keys.

The capital of Peru, Lima gave its name to lima beans. These beans were cultivated in Peru at the beginning of the 14th century.

Mayonnaise the popular condiment is an emulsion of egg yolks, oil, and lemon juice and was named for Port Mahon, Minorca, Spain. It was created in Mahon or Mao in the local language and named in honor of a French naval victory over the British off the shoreline of the island.

The popular cheese Monterey Jack got its name from the place it was first made Monterey, California by a man named David Jack. It is an American semi-hard cheese made with cow's milk.

Tabasco Sauce is a popular hot sauce from the US state of Louisiana. It was named after Tabasco, Mexico where the chilies were first widely cultivated.

A delicious cold soup Vichyssoise Soup got its name from Vichy, France. However, it was created by a French chef in New York City. This is a potato-leek soup made with leeks, onions, potatoes, cream, and chicken stock.

The fruit peaches are native to China and were named for Persia. This was the place where Europeans first found them. Later they were brought all over the world and people were able to aquaint themselves with peaches. Many places in the US that grow this fruit.

Worcester, England gives its name to Worcestershire Sauce. The sauce was created by Sir Marcus Sandys with vinegar, molasses, garlic, shallots, tamarinds, and various spices. He took his creation to a local grocery store Lea and Perrins in Worcester. They enjoyed the sauce a lot and started manufacturing it commercially in the 1830s.