Egg rolls have no eggs — nor bananas at Monday Munch

Monday Munch, Sept. 9
11:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m.
Egg roll in a bowl (ground beef, carrots, cabbage, sesame seeds and more), spinach salad with mandarin oranges and homemade dessert.

The egg roll, featured at Monday Munch, makes one think of that golden oldie, “Yes, We Have No Bananas.”

Yes, the egg roll has no eggs.

Andrew Coe, author of “Chop Suey: A Cultural History of Chinese Food in the United States,” says the egg roll was probably invented at a Chinese restaurant in New York City in the early 1930s, by one of two chefs who both later claimed credit for the creation: Lung Fong and Henry Low.

Some people of Chinese descent say they never saw an egg roll until they came to America, but others say they are a traditional treat in China at Chinese New Year and Spring Festival. The Chinese words for “egg” and “spring” sound very much alike, which has caused much confusion between the two foods. The Washington Post started out 1979 with “Inside the Egg Roll,” giving some info about which of these came first.

The article includes recommendations of good places to find egg rolls and ends with “Not So Honorable Roll,” short devastating comments on the not-so-good:

· Consistency of wet cardboard. Skin so soggy, raw and thick even the Pillsbury doughboy would be intimidated.

· It looks very innocent, but when a co-taster bit into it, a stream of grease came out the other end.

· It is said to be good manners, that if you have nothing good to say, don’t say anything at all.

Of course, while searching “egg roll” on the Internet, interesting things happen. During the egg roll sponsored by the Hoover administration, a child fell and broke her leg. Mrs. Hoover sent her a note, inviting her to come to the White House once she got out of the hospital.

In “Trump Administration Hunts for Easter Eggs and Senior Staff,” New York Times, April 11, 2017, we learned: “The White House is as much as two months behind recent standards for presidential transitions, leaving 90 percent of the positions considered critical to leadership unfilled. It did, however, manage to order the eggs for the Easter Egg Roll.”

In April 2019, “At a White House Tradition, Politics Color Everything but the Easter Eggs,” President Trump ditched his escort — the Easter Bunny — before fielding questions about impeachment and unruly advisors. Then he briefed a child about the construction of a wall at the southwestern border.

Delicious egg rolls in a bowl will be served at the Charlotte Senior Center, without politics. Wikipedia offers the interesting origins of “Yes, We Have No Bananas,” and here’s Frank Silver, the composer, singing it on The Ed Sullivan Show here.

Monday Munch, Sept. 16
11:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m.
Chicken and broccoli alfredo bake, salad, garlic bread and s’more bars.

S’more is a contraction of the phrase “some more.” Early in the 1920s, a recipe called Graham Cracker Sandwich appeared in a “Campfire Marshmallows” cookbook. In 1927, a recipe for “Some More” was published in “Tramping and Trailing with the Girl Scouts.”

The newspaper of “all the news fit to print” fame insists that with s’mores “the potential for customization is endless.” They try to prove it by claiming, “potato chips, Nutella and even Peeps can step into this campfire classic.” Potato chips may make you cringe, but the article includes large photos that will make your mouth water.

In his interview for this article, Dan Whalen, a food blogger and author of “S’mores!: Gooey, Melty, Crunchy Riffs on the Campfire Classic,” explains that no matter what ingredients you choose, the critical thing in making s’mores is the layering. Whalen insists, “Sometimes graham crackers, after sitting out for a minute, can be instantly soggy or stale. The potato chip gives it “a little more crunch.” For real crunch, he likes Ruffles. And if that weren’t far enough over the top, think Avocado, or The Elvis — bacon, banana and peanut butter nirvana.

You can find the table of contents of Whalen’s book at Amazon and be alarmed even more by the titles of his 51 recipes.

As always, I enjoyed the bizarre reader comments following the article. One reader advises: Forget the chocolate and crackers. Forget the campfire. Just put a large marshmallow on a paper plate and stick it in the microwave and then enjoy ”sugar straight to the brain.”

Here are the ingredients in homemade marshmallows:
3 packages gelatin
1 cup water
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
1 cup light corn syrup
1 cup powdered sugar
1 tablespoon vanilla

Sugar straight to the brain, indeed.

I have one “gift” left this month, so you don’t need a subscription to enjoy the article.

As always, everyone is welcome to enjoy Monday Munch at the Charlotte Senior Center. There is no charge. A $5 donation is appreciated.

Please remember to make a donation to The Charlotte News:
P.O. Box 251, Charlotte, VT 05445 or on their website.