Jalapeño popper

Jalapeño popper
CourseHors d'oeuvre
Main ingredientsJalapeño peppers, cheese, spices, breading, sometimes ground meat

Jalapeño poppers, or jalapeño bites, are jalapeño peppers that have been hollowed out, stuffed with a mixture of cheese, spices, and sometimes ground meat, and breaded and deep-fried. They are a common dish on appetizer menus in chain restaurants in the United States.

They are sometimes called armadillo eggs, especially if wrapped in bacon or sausage meat to give the appearance of an armadillo shell.[1][2] The term has been used since around 1972 in Texas, antedating the trademark on "Jalapeño Poppers".[3] As chile relleno can be made with jalapeño, the jalapeño popper is probably a Tex-Mex version of that dish.[4] The name armadillo eggs likely comes from the perceived similarity to Scotch eggs.[3]

When smoked or grilled and stuffed with sausage, they are also referred to as A.B.T or Atomic Buffalo Turds.[3][5][6]

Joey Chestnut holds the Major League Eating record for jalapeño poppers, eating 118 in 10 minutes at the University of Arizona on 8 April 2006.[7]

Trademark

On April 30, 1992, Anchor Food Products applied for and later received a trademark on "Jalapeño Poppers";[8] on "Jalapeño Poppers" used for "processed vegetables" however, the word "Poppers" had been trademarked in 1983 by the Poppers Supply Company of Portland, Oregon, for use with popcorn.[9] On September 27, 1993, the Poppers Supply Company successfully applied for a trademark on "Poppers" when used for "coated and breaded vegetable pieces", which they held until the trademark was transferred to Anchor Food Products on September 12, 2001.[10]

On September 25, 2001, Heinz announced that it had completed the acquisition of the Poppers brand, while McCain Foods acquired Anchor's production facilities.[11]

Leon's Texas Cuisine launched a line of cheese-stuffed, breaded, fried jalapeño product in 1985 called Jalitos; the company claims it is the original such product that was nationally distributed.[12][13]

See also

References

  1. ^ "Armadillo Eggs". Inside Tailgating. 25 October 2011. Archived from the original on 19 December 2018. Retrieved 18 December 2018.
  2. ^ "Cheesy Armadillo Eggs". Chili Pepper Madness. 19 June 2017. Retrieved 18 December 2018.
  3. ^ a b c Fain, Lisa (February 2, 2011). "Armadillo Eggs Recipe". Homesick Texan (blog). Retrieved 19 August 2015.
  4. ^ Butler, Tina (August 14, 2008). "Texas Jalapeño Poppers". Mommy's Kitchen (blog). Retrieved 19 August 2015.
  5. ^ Knoth, Tom (June 23, 2014). "Atomic Buffalo Turds". Homes in Pine Mountain Lake (blog). Archived from the original on 25 September 2015. Retrieved 24 September 2015.
  6. ^ "Atomic Buffalo Turds". BBQ Addicts. July 21, 2009. Retrieved 24 September 2015.
  7. ^ "Records". Major League Eating. Retrieved 19 August 2015.
  8. ^ U.S. Trademark 74,270,714
  9. ^ U.S. Trademark 73,410,059 on "Poppers" when used for "Flavored and Unflavored Processed Popped Popcorn"
  10. ^ U.S. Trademark 74,440,781 on "Poppers" when used for "coated and breaded vegetable pieces"
  11. ^ "Heinz Acquires Poppers Brand and Licensing Rights to T.G.I. Friday's Brand of Retail Snacks and Appetizers". H.J. Heinz Company (Press release). Pittsburgh. Business Wire. September 25, 2001. Retrieved 13 January 2016 – via The Free Library. H.J. Heinz Company today announced that it has completed a transaction with Anchor Food Products Inc. to acquire Anchor's Poppers(R) retail frozen appetizers business … As stated previously, a third party, McCain Foods Limited, had agreed to acquire Anchor's production facilities
  12. ^ "The Story of Leon's". Texas Cuisine. Archived from the original on 19 April 2015. Retrieved 19 August 2015.
  13. ^ "Jalitos". Texas Cuisine. Archived from the original on 11 July 2015. Retrieved 19 August 2015.