Feetloaf

Last updated

Feetloaf
Feetloaf! it's what's for dinner!.jpg
TypeSeasonal (Halloween)
Invented2009
Serving temperature98.6 °F (37.0 °C)
Main ingredientsGround beef
Ingredients generally usedonion slivers, parsnips

Feetloaf is a novelty dish intended to be served on Halloween. The earliest known reference is a 2009 cooking blog which was based on a recipe found in a seasonal cookbook sold at a grocery store checkout counter. The original recipe described a meatloaf molded into the shape of a human foot, using brazil nuts as toenails and ketchup or barbecue sauce to mimic blood. [1]

The dish was originally called "Bloody Stump" or "Feet of Meat". [2] The first known use of the term "Feetloaf" was in a 2014 Today Show interview with Laurin Sydney, Kathie Lee Gifford and Hoda Kotb. [3] [4] A contemporaneous MTV News story alternately referred to the dish as "Feet Loaf" (two words) and "Meat Foot". [5] A 2016 New York Times Magazine article mentioned feetloaf as being the subject of an Amy Sedaris Instagram post. [6]

In 2019, The Washington Post featured the dish in a pre-Halloween article, citing a tweet by rapper Richard Wilson (known by his stage name Lil Rich Aka Crash). According to The Post, the tweet had nearly 28,000 incoming links and had amassed almost 9,000 retweets. The version of the recipe described by The Post used slivers of onion instead of brazil nuts for toenails, and parsnips to simulate a sawed-off tibia. Serving suggestions included using a small handsaw instead of a knife, and a quarter-size sheet pan as a platter, mimicking a laboratory tray. [2] In the same year, Chris Prosperi of NBC Connecticut noted that there were "tons of pictures" of feetloaf available on the internet. [7]

In 2021, The Daily Mirror reported on a variation of the recipe which included a cheese topping. The dish was described as "absolutely disgusting". [8]

In fiction

Feetloaf is mentioned in the 1967 children's book The Hungry Thing. When the title character, a creature with a "Feed Me" sign hung around its neck, requests feetloaf, other characters ponder what it might be. A wiseman suggests it might be "a kind of shoe pudding that grows in a tree", and the cook counters that it "tastes sweet, and it's eaten by kings when they dine in bare feet". [9] The book uses incremental rhyming changes to lead the reader from made-up nonsense spoken by the monster to an actual culinary dish; "feetloaf" becomes "beetloaf" and then "meatloaf". [10]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Scrapple</span> American pork offal mush

Scrapple, also known by the Pennsylvania Dutch name Pannhaas, is a traditional mush of fried pork scraps and trimmings combined with cornmeal and wheat flour, often buckwheat flour, and spices.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Meatloaf</span> Dish of baked or smoked shaped ground meat

Meatloaf is a dish of ground meat that has been combined with other ingredients and formed into the shape of a loaf, then baked or smoked. The final shape is either hand-formed on a baking tray, or pan-formed by cooking it in a loaf pan. It is usually made with ground beef, although ground lamb, pork, veal, venison, poultry, and seafood are also used, sometimes in combination. Vegetarian adaptations of meatloaf may use imitation meat or pulses.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Stuffing</span> Edible mixture filling a foods cavity

Stuffing, filling, or dressing is an edible mixture, often composed of herbs and a starch such as bread, used to fill a cavity in the preparation of another food item. Many foods may be stuffed, including poultry, seafood, and vegetables. As a cooking technique stuffing helps retain moisture, while the mixture itself serves to augment and absorb flavors during its preparation.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pakistani cuisine</span> Culinary traditions of Pakistan

Pakistani cuisine can be characterized as a blend of regional cooking styles and flavours from across South, Central and Western Asia. Pakistani cuisine is influenced by Persian, Indian, and Arab cuisine. The cuisine of Pakistan also maintains certain Mughal influences within its recipes and cooking techniques. Pakistan's ethnic and cultural diversity, diverse climates, geographical environments, and availability of different produce lead to diverse regional cuisines.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pilaf</span> Rice dish

Pilaf, pilav or pilau is a rice dish, usually sautéed, or in some regions, a wheat dish, whose recipe usually involves cooking in stock or broth, adding spices, and other ingredients such as vegetables or meat, and employing some technique for achieving cooked grains that do not adhere to each other.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Korma</span> Dish originating in the Indian subcontinent

Korma or qorma is a dish with its origin in the Indian subcontinent, consisting of meat or vegetables braised with yogurt, water or stock, and spices to produce a thick sauce or gravy.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Salisbury steak</span> American beef dish

Salisbury steak is a dish originating in the United States and made from a blend of ground beef and other ingredients, being considered a version of Hamburg steak. Today, Salisbury steak is usually served with a gravy similar in texture to brown sauce, along with various side dishes, such as mashed potatoes and cooked vegetables. It is a common menu item served by diners and is frequently available as a TV dinner in supermarket frozen food sections.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Arab cuisine</span> Culinary traditions of Arab people

Arab cuisine collectively refers to the regional culinary traditions of the Arab world, consisting of the Maghreb and the Mashriq. These cuisines are centuries old and reflect the culture of trading in ingredients, spices, herbs, and commodities among the Arabs. The regions have many similarities, but also unique traditions. They have also been influenced by climate, cultivation, and mutual commerce.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Iraqi cuisine</span> Culinary traditions of Iraq

Iraqi cuisine is a Middle Eastern cuisine that has its origins in the ancient Near East culture of the fertile crescent. Tablets found in ancient ruins in Iraq show recipes prepared in the temples during religious festivals—the first cookbooks in the world. Ancient Iraq's cultural sophistication extended to the culinary arts.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Indigenous cuisine of the Americas</span> Food and drink of peoples Indigenous to the Americas

Indigenous cuisine of the Americas includes all cuisines and food practices of the Indigenous peoples of the Americas. Contemporary Native peoples retain a varied culture of traditional foods, along with the addition of some post-contact foods that have become customary and even iconic of present-day Indigenous American social gatherings. Foods like cornbread, turkey, cranberry, blueberry, hominy, and mush have been adopted into the cuisine of the broader United States population from Native American cultures.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kofta</span> Middle Eastern and South Asian meatballs

Kofta is a family of meatball or meatloaf dishes found in South Asian, Central Asian, Balkan, Middle Eastern, North African, and South Caucasian cuisines. In the simplest form, koftas consist of balls of minced meat—usually beef, chicken, pork, lamb or mutton, or a mixture—mixed with spices and sometimes other ingredients. The earliest known recipes are found in early Arab cookbooks and call for ground lamb.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kibbeh nayyeh</span> Levantine mezze

Kibbeh nayyeh or raw kibbeh is a Levantine mezze that likely originated in Aleppo, Syria. It consists of minced raw lamb mixed with fine bulgur and spices.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Somali cuisine</span> Culinary traditions of Somalia

Somali cuisine was influenced by many different countries mainly due to trade, but traditionally also varies from region to region due to the expansive landmass Somalis inhabit. It is the product of Somalia's tradition of trade and commerce. Some notable Somali specialties include kimis / sabaayad, canjeero / laxoox, xalwo (halwa), sambuusa (samosa), bariis iskukaris, and muqmad / oodkac.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Afghan cuisine</span> Culinary tradition

Afghan cuisine is influenced by Persian, Central Asian, and South Asian cuisines due to Afghanistan's close proximity and cultural ties. The cuisine is halal and mainly based on mutton, beef, poultry and fish with rice and Afghan bread. Accompanying these are common vegetables and dairy products, such as milk, yogurt, whey, and fresh and dried fruits such as apples, apricots, grapes, bananas, oranges, plums, pomegranates, sweet melons, and raisins. The diet of most Afghans revolves around rice-based dishes, while various forms of naan are consumed with most meals. Tea is generally consumed daily in large quantities, and is a major part of hospitality. The culinary specialties reflect the nation's ethnic and geographic diversity. The national dish of Afghanistan is Kabuli palaw, a rice dish cooked with raisins, carrots, nuts, and lamb or beef.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bobotie</span> South African dish (food)

Bobotie is a South African dish consisting of spiced minced meat baked with an egg-based topping.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Duchess potatoes</span> Shaped and baked mashed potatoes

Duchess potatoes consist of a purée of mashed potato, egg yolk, and butter, which is forced from a piping bag or hand-moulded into various shapes which are then baked in a high temperature oven until golden. They are typically seasoned similarly to mashed potatoes with, for example, salt, pepper, and nutmeg. They are a classic item of French cuisine, and are found in historic French cookbooks.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Turkey meat</span> Meat from a turkey

Turkey meat, commonly referred to as just turkey, is the meat from turkeys, typically domesticated turkeys, but also wild turkeys. It is a popular poultry dish, especially in North America and the United Kingdom, where it is traditionally consumed as part of culturally significant events such as Thanksgiving and Christmas respectively, as well as in standard cuisine.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Snack</span> Small food portions consumed outside of the main meals of the day

A snack is a small portion of food generally eaten between meals. A snack is often less than 200 calories, but this can vary. Snacks come in a variety of forms including packaged snack foods and other processed foods, as well as items made from fresh ingredients at home.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rat-on-a-stick</span> Dish of roasted rat on a skewer

Rat-on-a-stick, also referred to as rat kebab, is a dish or snack consisting of a roasted rat served on a stick or skewer. The dish is consumed in Thailand and Vietnam. Prior to roasting, the rat is typically skinned and washed, after which it is gutted to remove its internal organs and then roasted.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Embutido (Filipino cuisine)</span> Filipino meatloaf

Embutido, or embotido, is a Philippine meatloaf made with ground pork and stuffed with hard-boiled eggs and sliced ham or various sausages. It is traditionally wrapped in aluminum foil and steamed, though it can also be baked.

References

  1. "Tried and True Favorite Recipes: Halloween Dinner – Bloody Stump or Feet of Meat". Tried and True Favorite Recipes. October 21, 2009. Archived from the original on January 22, 2022. Retrieved October 20, 2021.
  2. 1 2 Heil, Emily (October 24, 2019). "It's almost Halloween, and 'feetloaf' is already giving us nightmares". Washington Post. ISSN   0190-8286. Archived from the original on November 26, 2020. Retrieved October 20, 2021.
  3. Sydney, Laurin = (October 23, 2014). "9 spooky ideas for Halloween entertaining". TODAY. Archived from the original on October 25, 2021. Retrieved October 20, 2021.
  4. Wida, Erica Chayes (October 30, 2019). "What is feetloaf? The gruesome dinner recipe is back". TODAY.
  5. Lindner, Emilee (October 31, 2014). "The 13 Grossest Foods You Can Make On Halloween". MTV News. Archived from the original on October 20, 2021. Retrieved October 20, 2021.
  6. Symonds, Alexandria (February 26, 2016). "Strange Candy: On Amy Sedaris's Instagram". The New York Times. ISSN   0362-4331. Archived from the original on November 6, 2021. Retrieved October 20, 2021.
  7. "Taste of Today: Halloween Feetloaf". NBC Connecticut. October 24, 2019. 0:22. Archived from the original on November 3, 2021. Retrieved October 20, 2021.
  8. Mills, Kelly-Ann; Caplain, Helen Le (June 16, 2021). "Dad's over-cooked Sunday dinner ends up looking like Madge from Benidorm". mirror. Archived from the original on November 5, 2021. Retrieved October 20, 2021.
  9. Slepian, Jan; Seidler, Ann G; Martin, Richard E (1967). The Hungry Thing. New York: Scholastic Book Services. pp. 10–13. ISBN   0590091794. OCLC   1035608121 via Internet Archive. The Hungry Thing comes to town and asks for tickles and feetloaf and other interesting things to eat while the townspeople try to figure out what he means
  10. Justice, Laura M. (2006). Clinical Approaches to Emergent Literacy Intervention. Plural Publishing. p. 289. ISBN   9781597568319 via Google Books.