This one caught my eye today so I thought this might be a fun topic.

Why is corned beef called "corned" beef if there is no corn in it?

 

I already know the answer. Do you? Did you know it or did you Google it?

Yes I know and no I didn’t need to google it.
I love corned beef. My mother used to fix corned beef and cabbage quite often. I have used a corned beef and cabbage stew recipe from Alton Brown that is great.
Not to spoil the trivia but it’s a salty kernel indeed that makes the beef so good.
While I have no use for the cabbage anymore I could do some serious damage the a whole corned beef by itself.


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You're correct. The salt pellets used to preserve meat were called 'salt corns', thus the name corned beef.

Interesting.  Well, I learned something new today.  🙂

So here's another one....

When people think of what constitutes "American food", they often think about hamburgers and hot dogs. But did these foods really originate here in the U.S.? 

Hamburgers and hotdogs? Yes and no. 
Minced beef definitely comes from Germany. In fact hamburger steak and steak tartare come from Germany as well but the act of placing a minced beef patty between two buns or rolls is generally considered an American invention. But there is a lot of controversy over who was the first. I personally stand loyal with Texas and claim that the hamburger sandwich was invented by a fellow in Athens Texas but I can’t remember his name…Fletcher? Maybe?

The hotdog as a sausage is of course German as it was called a Vienna sausage if I’m not mistaken but again, America gets the credit for putting the sausage in a bun and creating the hotdog. 
 

What’s funny is the ethnic foods that are completely American even though they are associated with other countries. Can you name a few? 
I’ll give you a clue with two countries, Italy and China. 

Hamburgers are thought to originate from Hamburgh, Germany, from whence they got their name.

Hot Dogs are thought to have either originated from Franfurt, Germany in the 1400's, which is why they are often called Franks, or Frankfurters. However, the city of Vienna (Wien in German) makes a similar claim, thus the name Wieners or Vienna Sausages.

I hadn't given any thought to the bun. I'll have to look that up. But I will say, wrapping healthy meat in an unhealthy wheat bun does sounds like an American thing to do, lol