#welsh rabbit

Source details and larger version.

Imagine you are an officer on board a ship and you have to choose a dinner. Well I have just the thing for you - Welsh Rabbit or Scotch Rabbit. Whereby the word rabbit is to be avoided and must be paraphrased at all costs. Because the word alone brings misfortune to the ship. 

Actually a poor people's meal, but not even for the Sailor on board a ship to bring and therefore only something for an officer or the Captains Table. But that's not because of the rabbit, because there is no rabbit here. This recipe, first mentioned by Hannah Glasses in her 1747 cookbook The Art of Cookery, has only three simple ingredients. Bread, cheese and maybe some mustard.

(x)

"To Make Welch (She means Welsh) rabbit. TOAST the bread on both sides, then toast the cheese on one side, lay it on the toast, and with a hot iron brown the other side. You may rub it over with mustard. Scotch rabbit: butter it."

The version that was popular on board was fresh and fine grey bread, various cheeses, mustard and an egg on top. So it was really just a cheese toast with an egg, but it was a dish that might be provided on land but was a luxury meal at sea, because the fine bread, the amount of cheese and the egg were denied to the normal sailor. The absolute luxury version was "a finger-thick slice of grey bread" as a solid base and include mustard, ground cayenne pepper, paprika, a dash of ale and Worcester sauce as an addition to the melting cheese. However, this was probably only offered to officers who had enough money.

A rare bit of folk etymology: there are more whales in Wales than there are rabbits in Welsh rarebit.

Mickey Mouse says “Cheese!” for the Vendome Café.

Welsh Rabbit

¼ pound cheese, grated ½ cup milk 2 eggs ½ tsp mustard ¾ tsp salt 1 Tbsp butter Few grains cayenne pepper

Put the cheese and milk in top part of double boiler. Heat over hot water until cheese melts. Beat eggs. Add seasoning. Stir egg mixture into cheese mixture. Continue stirring and cooking until mixture becomes slightly thicker. Add butter. Stir until butter is melted.

At once pour over toast or crackers. Serve hot.

Welsh rabbit

Welsh rabbit

Source details and larger version.