Who killed the lettuce?
What is Head Cheese? Here’s the truth behind 12 peculiar food names
Published on April 18, 2025
Image: Spencer Davis
We often take these words for granted, but if we stop to think about them, they might not make sense. What is a possum pie? Is monkey bread made by monkeys? These 12 otherwise common foods have names that might surprise anyone unfamiliar with them. Do you know the origin of any of these names?
Poutine
Image: @withlovefromchile
A very Canadian thing to eat, poutine means "mess" in Québécois slang. It has also been jokingly said to stand for "put in everything," as the dish is a mixture of various ingredients.
Rocky Mountain oysters
Image: Charlotte Coneybeer
There are no oysters in the Rocky Mountains, which should be the first clue about the true nature of this dish. Rocky Mountain oysters are actually bull testicles that are battered, fried, and served as a delicacy in some parts of the Western US. The name is a humorous euphemism designed to make the dish sound more appealing.
Head cheese
Image: Dana Ward
As with Rocky Mountain oysters, the name of this dish does not describe exactly what its ingredients are. It has no cheese. It is a savory jelly made from the head of a pig or calf, typically including various bits of meat, cartilage, and skin. The name comes from its firm, cheese-like consistency and the fact that it is often served cold.
Corn dogs
Image: Blake Guidry
An odd name to anyone from outside the US, a corn dog is a hot dog on a stick, coated in cornmeal batter and deep-fried. The name comes from the cornmeal coating and its shape, which somewhat resembles a dog on a stick.
Chowder
Image: Kevin Lanceplaine
We are used to hearing certain words and we don’t question what they mean. Chowder, at least for many, is one of those words. This thick, often creamy, seafood-based soup likely derives its name from the French word chaudière, meaning a large cooking pot.
Killed lettuce
Image: Petr Magera
An unusual name for an otherwise ordinary salad. This recipe features wilted lettuce dressed with a hot vinaigrette or another type of dressing. The term "killed" refers to how the hot dressing wilts the lettuce, making it appear "dead."
Po' boy
Image: Luis Covarrubias
These tasty Louisiana sandwiches were originally served to striking workers during a New Orleans streetcar strike in 1929. A restaurant owner decided to help the workers with these "poor boy" sandwiches.
Monkey bread
Image: mohamed hassouna
No, it’s not made of monkeys or by monkeys. Monkey bread is a sweet, pull-apart bread made from small balls of dough dipped in butter and cinnamon sugar before baking. The name likely comes from the way people "pick" at it, similar to how monkeys groom each other.
Garbage plate
Image: alberto lionardi
Sometimes, a plate of garbage is just that. But if you’re in Rochester, New York, it’s a big, messy dish starting with a base of fried potatoes and macaroni salad, topped with meat like a hamburger, hot dog, or sausage, and usually smothered in a chili-like "hot sauce." Unsurprisingly, legend has it that it was created for college students.
Booyah
Image: Artur Kornakov
It may sound like a joyous cry, but at least in northern Wisconsin and Michigan's Upper Peninsula, booyah is actually a humble stew with a peculiar name, likely derived from the word bouillon. It’s made with chicken, sausage, or beef, and vegetables like carrots, onions, and potatoes.
Ants on a log
Image: Prabir Kashyap
While in some countries, ant-eating is a pretty normal thing, that is not the main ingredient in this dish which consists of peanut butter in celery stalks, topped with raisins that resemble ants crawling along the "log." A pretty self-explanatory name, don't you think?
Possum pie
Image: David Clode
Thankfully, possum pies are not made with possum. Instead, this dessert is layered with chocolate and vanilla puddings, usually with pecans. The name likely comes from the color scheme, which resembles that of a possum.
