Northern Light
Lt. Colonel
- Joined
- Jul 21, 2014
After discovering the Olive Burger the other day, I decided to see what other weird and wonderful regional dishes with which I could tempt your palate. I found a great one: the Rochester Garbage Plate. Yes folks, the Garbage Plate, from Rochester, New York.
According to The Spruce Eats:
The garbage plate is an example of American extreme cuisine. It was born in Rochester, New York, at Nick Tahou Hots, a landmark restaurant famous for this classic regional specialty. The earliest version goes all the way back to 1918 when it was originally called "Hots and Potatoes." The regular customers called it by the nickname "Hots and Po-tots," and it was basically a plate piled high with fried potatoes, baked beans, hot dogs, onions, mustard, and a chili-like meat sauce.
A Brief History of the Garbage Plate
It wasn't until many years later that the dish was officially renamed the "Garbage Plate." The restaurant and bar had become very popular with Rochester's large community of college students, who upon seeing this huge plate of food, and not knowing what exactly it was called on the menu, would simply ask the waitresses, "can I get one of those plates with all the garbage on it?" The name stuck and the tradition has continued through the years.
In 1992, the "garbage plate" name was trademarked by Nick Tahou Hots. After that, local Rochester restaurants were restricted from calling their versions "garbage plates." Now, each establishment uses their own particular blend of ingredients to create their own version. Depending on where you go, it may be called a "trash plate," "messy plate," or a "dumpster plate" instead.
The Modern Day Garbage Plate
Today, this bizarre dish is a popular item all over the Rochester area and can be found at many local restaurants. In recent years, the cheeseburger has replaced the hot dog as the most popular type of garbage plate. Custom dictates you get your choice of two base items, from a list that includes home fries, pasta salad, baked beans, mac and cheese, French fries, and other similar food items. After the starchy foundation is formed, it's topped with either grilled red hots, cheeseburgers, eggs, fish, or whatever else the restaurant you happen to be at offers. Then, finally, the plate is topped with the meat sauce, onions, and bright yellow mustard. As if that wasn't enough, the modern garbage plate is often served with a soft roll or a few slices of white bread to sop up all the liquid.
www.thespruceeats.com/famous-garbage-plate-rochester-new-york-101383
Now, if you think you want to try this, there are lots of recipes on the Interwebs that you can find. It is reputed to be a good cure for hangovers, but it looks like a big fat plate of indigestion to me. I'll let you make up your own mind.
https://www.thespruceeats.com/how-to-make-a-garbage-plate-101387
According to The Spruce Eats:
The garbage plate is an example of American extreme cuisine. It was born in Rochester, New York, at Nick Tahou Hots, a landmark restaurant famous for this classic regional specialty. The earliest version goes all the way back to 1918 when it was originally called "Hots and Potatoes." The regular customers called it by the nickname "Hots and Po-tots," and it was basically a plate piled high with fried potatoes, baked beans, hot dogs, onions, mustard, and a chili-like meat sauce.
A Brief History of the Garbage Plate
It wasn't until many years later that the dish was officially renamed the "Garbage Plate." The restaurant and bar had become very popular with Rochester's large community of college students, who upon seeing this huge plate of food, and not knowing what exactly it was called on the menu, would simply ask the waitresses, "can I get one of those plates with all the garbage on it?" The name stuck and the tradition has continued through the years.
In 1992, the "garbage plate" name was trademarked by Nick Tahou Hots. After that, local Rochester restaurants were restricted from calling their versions "garbage plates." Now, each establishment uses their own particular blend of ingredients to create their own version. Depending on where you go, it may be called a "trash plate," "messy plate," or a "dumpster plate" instead.
The Modern Day Garbage Plate
Today, this bizarre dish is a popular item all over the Rochester area and can be found at many local restaurants. In recent years, the cheeseburger has replaced the hot dog as the most popular type of garbage plate. Custom dictates you get your choice of two base items, from a list that includes home fries, pasta salad, baked beans, mac and cheese, French fries, and other similar food items. After the starchy foundation is formed, it's topped with either grilled red hots, cheeseburgers, eggs, fish, or whatever else the restaurant you happen to be at offers. Then, finally, the plate is topped with the meat sauce, onions, and bright yellow mustard. As if that wasn't enough, the modern garbage plate is often served with a soft roll or a few slices of white bread to sop up all the liquid.
www.thespruceeats.com/famous-garbage-plate-rochester-new-york-101383
Now, if you think you want to try this, there are lots of recipes on the Interwebs that you can find. It is reputed to be a good cure for hangovers, but it looks like a big fat plate of indigestion to me. I'll let you make up your own mind.
https://www.thespruceeats.com/how-to-make-a-garbage-plate-101387
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