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| Photo: jeffreyw on flickr via Creative Commons |
The most unlikely of which, World Wide Words tells us, is the one that places its origin during the time of the Civil War. According to this tale, Confederate soldiers would feed their dogs fried bits of dough to keep them quiet, thus preserving the secrecy of their bivouac.
Etymologists view the Civil War aspect of this tale with great skepticism. They do agree, however, that the “puppy” part probably did originate as a way to keep hungry pups away from “people food”!
The Online Etymology Dictionary states that the "deep-fried ball of cornmeal batter" was “first attested” in 1899, but we couldn’t find the source OED claims contained the reference.
So we’re going with Phrases.org on this one and using the 1918 reference, published in the American Dialect Society’s journal, Dialect Notes, as the hush puppy’s first known use in print.
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| "Hush, pup!" photos by tobias.fuchs and Angie Tan via Creative Commons |
Though this part is unsubstantiated, the name might have been influenced by the fact that in some areas in the southern U.S., fishermen would catch and batter-fry a type of salamander known as a “mud puppy” or “water dog.”
We can see how a hush puppy might temporarily appease a salivating dog attending an outdoor fish fry, can’t you?
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Sources:
World Wide Words
Phrases.org
Online Etymology Dictionary
Wikipedia: The American Dialect Society
The Encyclopedia Britannica: Mud Puppies
Now your making us hungry. Have a tremendous Thursday.
ReplyDeleteBest wishes Molly
I don't think I've ever had a hush puppy..
ReplyDeleteA hush puppy I can eat? Hmmmmmm.
ReplyDeleteI've never tasted a hush puppy, they look yum though.. mmmmm
ReplyDeleteLove Milo :)
Honey you're talking out language now!! We're from the South and hush puppies are a fave especially with fried catfish and fries...Yes, they are the best...what we call "good eats"!
ReplyDeletePurrs...XX
Those hush puppies do look tasty! I must admit, I have never eaten one. I'll have to look up a recipe and try to make some.
ReplyDeleteInteresting! All we know is that hushpuppies are NOMMY! :)
ReplyDeleteMy Mom loves hush puppies too but in this house we call them hush kitties....HAHAHAHAHAHA!
ReplyDeleteKitty Hugs, Sammy
Well we've never tried hush puppies here...though I'd like to tell a certain orange kitty to HUSH.
ReplyDelete; ) Katie
Je ne connais pas cette spécialité, cela semble très bon!
ReplyDeleteronrons d'Opale et SOnye
Hush puppies are Southern?! We're such southern cats that we didn't know that. We thought they were universal!
ReplyDeleteMe too!
Delete~Vicat
Folks just toss some cornmeal, an egg, garlic, chive, and salt with water, til barely blended, roll 'em up & toss 'em in hot oil until golden brown! A meal in itself!
ReplyDeleteVicat
Now we're hungry. ;)
ReplyDeleteHush puppies are a little piece of heaven on earth! However, we're glad they are made with cornmeal and not mud puppies. We've always heard the story about keeping the dogs quiet, but they are too yummy to throw at the dogs.
ReplyDeleteWherever or however they came about, Mom says she could care less; though your post, as always, is interesting. She just knows that they taste delicious. We've never had any, of course. Purrs and hugs, Lily Olivia, Mauricio, Misty May, Giulietta, Fiona, Astrid, Lisbeth and Calista Jo
ReplyDeleteDoggies eat annything. WE demand meat. MOL!
ReplyDeleteWe thought Hush Puppies were shoes ( they are over here ) LOL those look super yummy xxoxxx
ReplyDeleteMollie and Alfie