Happy National Welsh Rarebit Day!

by Alexa Weibel, Posted Sep 3rd 2010 @ 1:15PM

Happy National Welsh Rarebit Day!

Though perhaps not as haute cuisine as the name might imply, this typically British snack is much more than the sum of its parts, adding beer and spices to the bare-boned but classic cheese-and-toast combo. With the added kick of mustard powder, cayenne, Guinness and Worcestershire sauce, one New York Times writer praised this recipe as "one of the best late-night snacks I know."

For those of you perplexed by its name, Welsh rarebit is derived from the term "Welsh rabbit." In18th century Europe, meat was an expensive luxury and rabbit was the cheapest variety available – and the Welsh were thought too poor to afford even that. Many quipped that they substituted cheese instead, hence the creation of the title as a jab to Britain's neighbors.

Become a member of the Slashfood Flickr pool to get a shot at having your photos featured on the site.

Filed Under: Holidays, Food History
Tags: national welsh rarebit day, welsh rarebit