could the original Welsh cheeses be along the lines of Halloumi? "Halloumi or haloumi is a cheese of Cypriot origin made from a mixture of goat's and sheep's milk, and sometimes also cow's milk. Its texture is described as squeaky. It has a high melting point and so can easily be fried or grilled, a property that makes it a popular meat substitute." Wikipedia
I've had cheese on toast many times but I had no idea this had anything to do with the Welsh or rabbits... The theory that the phrase originated from the English by referring to the meal as "Welsh" by implying a certain lacking or poverty sounds most plausible to me. Also good choice on the Coleman's. I haven't been able to get it around here for a while!
Been eating rarebit for 60 years. Going back 4 generations for sure. Make it for my son every year on his birthday. Twenty six years in a row. It's a thing.
Sounds like a simplified Grilled Cheese Sandwich that I love here in the USA. But I use mayonnaise instead of butter on the grilling side of the bread.
I went to culinary school in Canada and we were always taught that Welsh rarebit , was a stew made out of beer and cheese to trick weary travelers into thinking they were eating a rabbit stew. Full disclosure, this could be a total myth Absolutely love this channel and all the content you post. I've watched every Video and absolutely can't wait for the next one
Seems special names were given to dishes that reflected the cooking process and/or ingredients. If it was served in an inn, then it had to be some kind of dish...[probably not] ingredients and a process a shepherd would use. Cooked on a skillet? You can do that on a rock. Mine was an Irish household, and my nan called cheese on toast "rabbit" (like New Zealanders, her pronunciation wouldn't have been out of place 200 years ago, either)...so cheese on toast was cheap and frequent. I can't see such a dish being the pride of an innkeeping cook. I'm thinking the original mention of 'Welsh Rabbit' was about a dish complimented with roasted cheese, with the roasting cooking process done in a covered pot. 'Stew' suggests to me a potful made for many servings. So maybe it was drawn out of the pot, topped off with cheese, then roasted again to crisp the top? When I asked why it was called 'rabbit' as a kid, I always heard the same 'joke', which kind of reflected a thousand years of racism : "It's called 'rabbit' because they're usually too poor even to put any rabbit in it." - which I think was a 'joke' that started out as 'rarebit', and got mixed up with another 'joke' about Welsh folk being so poor, the only meat they could eat was rabbit, or that the Welsh ate cheese as a 'substitute' for rabbit/meat - rather like how rural French often roast their cheeses. Go back a thousand years, and his is the kind of comment you'd expect on the English border with Wales, I should think. What came first, the 'joke' or the dish...Rarebit or Rabbit? Time has really muddled this one. Thank you for bringing it to us.
It's true that so much has been lost to time, so we'll probably never know the truth. Thanks for sharing your thoughts. I like seeing how others think of things that I don't 😁
I think , witn English accent, rarebit is quite easy to say... We know it as more than cheese on toast. It's made with a cheese sauce with mustard in the sauce and cheese on top .
could the original Welsh cheeses be along the lines of Halloumi?
"Halloumi or haloumi is a cheese of Cypriot origin made from a mixture of goat's and sheep's milk, and sometimes also cow's milk. Its texture is described as squeaky. It has a high melting point and so can easily be fried or grilled, a property that makes it a popular meat substitute." Wikipedia
John Byrom: The original food blogger.
I've had cheese on toast many times but I had no idea this had anything to do with the Welsh or rabbits...
The theory that the phrase originated from the English by referring to the meal as "Welsh" by implying a certain lacking or poverty sounds most plausible to me.
Also good choice on the Coleman's. I haven't been able to get it around here for a while!
Been eating rarebit for 60 years. Going back 4 generations for sure. Make it for my son every year on his birthday. Twenty six years in a row. It's a thing.
How have I never seen your channel before! I love this! Just subbed! Can't wait to see more!
Small matter, impeccably researched.
Sold!
Some deep research there! 👍🏼 I have wondered over the years, about the origins of Welsh Rarebit. We are out there it seems haha.
Sounds like a simplified Grilled Cheese Sandwich that I love here in the USA. But I use mayonnaise instead of butter on the grilling side of the bread.
I went to culinary school in Canada and we were always taught that Welsh rarebit , was a stew made out of beer and cheese to trick weary travelers into thinking they were eating a rabbit stew. Full disclosure, this could be a total myth Absolutely love this channel and all the content you post. I've watched every Video and absolutely can't wait for the next one
I haven't come across that one. I will have to look into it. Thanks 😀
Elmer Fudd calls it Welsh Wabbit. I don't know who to believe.
Very interesting and well made video, thank you. Perfect timing because I just broke into my 10 month old homemade cheddar
Yum 😁
Seems special names were given to dishes that reflected the cooking process and/or ingredients. If it was served in an inn, then it had to be some kind of dish...[probably not] ingredients and a process a shepherd would use. Cooked on a skillet? You can do that on a rock. Mine was an Irish household, and my nan called cheese on toast "rabbit" (like New Zealanders, her pronunciation wouldn't have been out of place 200 years ago, either)...so cheese on toast was cheap and frequent.
I can't see such a dish being the pride of an innkeeping cook. I'm thinking the original mention of 'Welsh Rabbit' was about a dish complimented with roasted cheese, with the roasting cooking process done in a covered pot. 'Stew' suggests to me a potful made for many servings. So maybe it was drawn out of the pot, topped off with cheese, then roasted again to crisp the top?
When I asked why it was called 'rabbit' as a kid, I always heard the same 'joke', which kind of reflected a thousand years of racism : "It's called 'rabbit' because they're usually too poor even to put any rabbit in it." - which I think was a 'joke' that started out as 'rarebit', and got mixed up with another 'joke' about Welsh folk being so poor, the only meat they could eat was rabbit, or that the Welsh ate cheese as a 'substitute' for rabbit/meat - rather like how rural French often roast their cheeses.
Go back a thousand years, and his is the kind of comment you'd expect on the English border with Wales, I should think.
What came first, the 'joke' or the dish...Rarebit or Rabbit? Time has really muddled this one.
Thank you for bringing it to us.
It's true that so much has been lost to time, so we'll probably never know the truth. Thanks for sharing your thoughts. I like seeing how others think of things that I don't 😁
I think , witn English accent, rarebit is quite easy to say...
We know it as more than cheese on toast. It's made with a cheese sauce with mustard in the sauce and cheese on top .
Should we go back to the name Welsh rabbit or should we stick to Welsh rarebit? What do you think?
Let's go with "rare welshbit."
🤣
IMO Rarebit, because it's not the 1700s any more. And it's a confusing name 🤪
Leave it be and let the fun continue.
🐇🧀🥖♨️
A cheese that melts, chedder
Welsh rabbit just sounds weird..i prefer rarebit...rabbit is the original...
Both names are misleading, so they are both technically wrong. Because there's nothing rare about cheese on toast, and there's no rabbit in it.