Rarebit is a simple but very popular dish. It is toasted bread covered in a cheese sauce. Or melted cheddar cheese, mixed with mustard or spices and ale. Rarebit has been popular since the 1500s. In Welsh, it is ‘caws pobi’, which translates as toasted cheese. I love rarebit! Here’s a brief history of Welsh Rarebit. Finally, check out my easy Rarebit recipe too!
Nobody’s quite sure how the name came about. But it’s generally believed to be a jest at the expense of the early poor of Wales, from the South Wales Valleys, who may largely have subsisted on rabbit and ale (though how this relates back to cheese on toast, I am not sure). The dish was thought to be a staple in the diets of Welsh men and women.
Why is is called Welsh rarebit? Sources differ but popular legend suggests that the name Welsh Rabbit was originally a jest at the expense of Welsh peasants who used cheese as a substitute for the meat they couldn’t afford.
Does Welsh rarebit have rabbit in it?
A popular misconception or myth is that many believe that there is Welsh rabbit in rare bit. Possibly because the words sound so similar. The first recorded reference to the dish comes from 1725, where it was called ‘Welsh rabbit’. Historians believe it caught on as a joke.
In the late 17th and early 18th centuries, the English would often give laughably fancy names to food. Especially if it was relevant to a region. The name change was probably an attempt to make it a more fitting dish. I personally think it was a language barrier or a strong Welsh accent that gave the dish its name.
What is Welsh rarebit?
Rarebit is dish made with a savoury sauce of melted cheese and other ingredients that is served hot after being poured over slices of toasted bread. Now traditional Welsh rarebit is a treat found in restaurants. Welsh rarebit has humble beginnings, like most things, in Wales. Whilst in truth it was probably enjoyed by a large portion of the British nation. The Welsh just have a fondness for the gastronomic delight – cheese on toast.
Why is cheese on toast called Welsh Rabbit / Rarebit?
FAQ
What’s the difference between a rabbit and a rarebit?
What makes Welsh rarebit?
What is the difference between Welsh rarebit and Scottish rarebit?
What does Welsh rarebit taste like?
What is a Welsh rarebit?
Welsh rarebit or Welsh rabbit ( / ˈrɛərbɪt / or / ˈræbɪt /) is a dish of hot cheese sauce served on toasted bread. The original 18th-century name of the dish was the jocular “Welsh rabbit”, which was later reinterpreted as “rarebit”, as the dish contains no rabbit.
How do you make a Welsh rarebit?
To make your Welsh rarebit, melt your butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Then stir in the flour until it’s nice and smooth. Then stir in your milk. Bring this to a boil and stir for about two minutes or until thick. Reduce the heat, add the Worcestershire sauce, mustard, paprika, salt, pepper and cheese. Cook this until the cheese is melted.
When did Welsh rarebit become popular?
In the late 17th and early 18th centuries, the English would often give laughably fancy names to any food or product common to a region or profession. Use of the term Welsh rarebit began towards the end of the 18th century and became more commonplace as the dish gained in popularity.
What is a Welsh rabbit?
Sivert N. Hagen (1904): ” Welsh rabbit is of jocular origin Where, however, the word is used by the sophisticated, it is often ‘corrected’ to Welsh rarebit, as if ‘rare bit ‘ ” Ambrose Bierce (1911): ” Rarebit n. A Welsh rabbit, in the speech of the humorless, who point out that it is not a rabbit.