Surf and turf explained
Surf and turf, sometimes called reef and beef, is a main course combining seafood and red meat,[1] typically beefsteak. While lobster and filet mignon are a standard combination,[2] variations common to steakhouse menus include prawns, shrimp, squid, or scallops, which may be steamed, grilled, or breaded and fried.
Etymology
While the term's origins remain unclear, the earliest known citation dates to 1961 in the Los Angeles Times.
History
In late 19th-century America, combining large portions of lobster and steak was popular at "show restaurants known as lobster palaces," favored by nouveau riche "arrivistes". This became unfashionable by the 1920s and only regained popularity in the early 1960s.
Surf 'n' turf was featured in 1962 at the Eye of the Needle, a revolving restaurant atop the Space Needle in Seattle, Washington.
Surf and turf is often considered to symbolize the middle-class "Continental cuisine" of the 1960s and 1970s,[3] with (frozen) lobster and steak as replacements for the middle class.[4]
In Australia, the dish was first served in 1965 at the Lithgow Hotel (now 7 Valleys)[5] in Lithgow, New South Wales. It is now common throughout Australia.
Sandwich
A sandwich variation known as the surf and turf burger is prepared with ground beef and various types of seafood, such as lobster, shrimp, or crab.[6] [7] [8]
Reputation
Surf and turf is often considered as an example of conspicuous consumption and kitsch, as it combines two expensive foods which are not normally considered to be complementary:
See also
Notes and References
- McGraw-Hill Dictionary of American Idioms and Phrasal Verbs, 2003, s.v.
- Book: Billings . C. . Bayer . B. . The Maine Lobster Industry: A History of Culture, Conservation and Commerce . History Press . 2014 . 978-1-62619-410-6 . 65.
- Web site: January 24, 2011 . Obama's Can't-Miss Banquet Menu . 2024-08-14 . www.restaurant-hospitality.com . en . "Let’s see, surf and turf, glazed carrots, double-stuffed potatoes, apple pie — this meal seems to ignore every dietary and culinary trend of the last 30 years.".
- Lewis . George H. . December 1989 . The Maine lobster as regional icon: Competing images over time and social class . Food and Foodways . en . 3 . 4 . 303–316 . 10.1080/07409710.1989.9961958 . 0740-9710 . As one moves downward in the American socioeconomic class structure, one sees lobster retain its image as a status foodstuff. To be affordable to the middle class, the actual lobster eaten usually takes the form of frozen Australian lobster tail, often served along with steak as part of a standard middle-class status meal known as "surf and turf." Thus the image of rarity and status is retained, but a cheaper product that has no relationship to Maine... is substituted for the authentic foodstuff..
- News: Bastow . Ciara . 2022-02-24 . The 7 Valleys' knocks expectations out of the park with popular opening . 2024-08-04 . Lithgow Mercury . en-AU.
- Book: Keller . H. . Wisner . P. . Burger Bar: Build Your Own Ultimate Burgers . Houghton Mifflin Harcourt . 2015 . 978-0-544-79168-8 . July 23, 2017 . 25.
- Book: Pilz, D. . Grilling, Grilling & More Grilling . Charlesbridge Publishing . 2013 . 978-1-60734-661-6 . July 23, 2017 . 79.
- Web site: Surf and turf burger at Morton's in Hackensack . North Jersey . May 11, 2017 . July 23, 2017.
