Elephant Green Chili Chutney: Natural & Delicious!

Are you seeking a new, versatile and delicious condiment? If so, I've a recommendation for you.

I recently received a media sample of the Elephant Green Chili Chutney, a new product created by Cashmira Sethna and her daughter, Tanzie Turel, based on Cashmira's recipe from 1986. Cashmira, who was born in Mumbai, spent two decades in Dubai, and later was a recipe columnist for the Indian Express in New York. In 2024, she was a contestant on The Favorite Chef competition, placing second in her group. Tanzie has worked in a national commercial real estate lending, investment, and advisory firm. Tanzie encouraged her mother to make her chutney available to the public, and they finally worked together to make that a reality. 

As their website states, "At Elephant Green Chili Chutney, our mission is clear yet profoundly heartfelt: to share our passion for vibrant flavors and wholesome food, making every cook’s journey, across cultures, just a little easier and a lot more zesty. We believe food is more than just sustenance—it’s a way to express love, celebrate life, and connect with one another."

Their green chili chutney is currently available from Amazon, a 9-ounce jar selling for about $15. It's produced from only 6 ingredients, including: vinegar, cilantro, sugar, dried coconut, green chili, and salt. No preservatives or fillers are used. That all makes the chutney even more appealing. The chutney is also vegan, gluten free, dairy free, Kosher, and great for keto. A Serving Size is 1 tablespoon, which has 25 calories, and a jar contains 16 servings. 

It's promoted as extremely versatile, limited only by your imagination. It can be used to "Drizzle and Dazzle, Dip and Devour, Spread and Savor, or Simmer and Sizzle." After my own experiences with this chutney, trying it with a variety of foods, I would wholeheartedly agree to its versatility. 

The green condiment has visible pieces of coconut, and it's easy to spread on food, or scoop out some for a dipping sauce. It has a pleasant aroma, citrus notes and a touch of coconut. Once opened, I advise keeping it in the refrigerator, as it doesn't contain any preservatives. 

I first slathered some of the chutney atop boneless pork chops (from Tendercrop Farms), before placing them in the oven. I was impressed with the flavor of the chutney, which worked quite well with the moist and tender pork. Initially, there was some sweetness, with prominent citrus notes accompanied by nuttiness of the coconut, and the tiny bits of coconut also added a touch of a crunchy texture. On the finish though, the heat of the green chilis arose, replacing the citrus, although it wasn't overly spicy. An interesting and tasty journey across the palate, from sweet to heat. This initial experience with the chutney was delicious, and I was eager to try it with other foods. 

I've since used it several additional times, such as a dip for seafood, from cod to salmon, and it worked very well with the taste of the different fish. It also paired well with beef, and it was tasty while slathered on a warm piece of naan bread. I suspect it would work well with many different foods, and you're limited only by your imagination. I've nearly finished the entire jar, and will order more from Amazon in the near future. 

The Elephant Green Chili Chutney earns my Hearty Recommendation! 

Scrapple: An Early History in Massachusetts (with a Special Recipe)

Have you ever enjoyed Scrapple?

Unless you live in, or visit, the Pennsylvania area, or the surrounding Mid-Atlantic states, you might not be familiar with this popular dish, which is commonly consumed at breakfast. It's essentially a mush of fried pork scraps with cornmeal, buckwheat flour and spices, although plenty of variations exist. During the 17th and 18th centuries, German settlers in Pennsylvania created this dish, a way to use left-over pork scraps they might not otherwise use, to avoid waste. When butchering a pig, they wanted to use every available bit, to maximum the value of that whole pig.  

The term "scrapple" is derived from "scraps," a rather descriptive term for its use of pork scraps. The dish has its origins to the German dish "panhas," meaning "pan-rabbit" or "pan-meal." However, panhas didn't include the use of corn-meal as does scrapple. And although scrapple was created during the 17th and 18th centuries, the term itself seems to have first surfaced in Pennsylvania in the 1840s. 

And FYI, National Scrapple Day is celebrated on November 9, and this holiday extends back at least to 2011.

For some, scrapple doesn't sound appetizing because of its use of pig organ meat or the pig's head. However, that's a psychological block which prevents you from enjoying the dish. As the meat is so finely chopped, and mixed with corn-meal/flour, you'd never know what type of pork was used, similar to what you might find in a sausage. Get past your thoughts and take a taste, and you might be very surprised that you actually enjoy it. 

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I recently enjoyed some fried scrapple, pictured at the top of this article, which was made by Peter Bryant*, one of my friends from Maryland. He has his own special recipe, and brought me a couple pieces when he recently visited the Boston+ area. I've enjoyed scrapple before, usually when traveling as it's not commonly found in the Boston area, but it has been some time since I've eaten it. I took it home and fried up some slices, and was impressed with Peter's scrapple. The frying created a nice, crispy exterior, that contrasted well with its tasty, well-seasoned and slightly mushy interior. It would remind you in some ways to a sausage patty, but with its own unique textural elements. 

It certainly made for an excellent breakfast dish, although it could also be eaten for lunch or dinner. At breakfast, you could cover it with a fried egg, or even make a breakfast sandwich with it, instead of using the usual bacon or sausage. For lunch or dinner, you could make a sandwich with it, topping it with your choice of condiments, veggies, or more. You could cover it with teriyaki sauce and place it atop a bowl of white rice. Just use your creativity! 

Later in this article, I'll provide you Peter's recipe, so you can try to make scrapple at home. 

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You might be surprised to know that scrapple was known in Massachusetts at least as far back as the mid-19th century. So, let's take a look at that early history, as well as see some of the recipes that were presented in these early Massachusetts newspapers. Maybe some of your Massachusetts ancestors even made their own scrapple. 

The earliest Massachusetts newspaper reference I found to scrapple was from 1848. The Vox Populi, December 29, 1848, briefly noted, "With a pretty assortment of scrapple, butter and other greasy delicacies, Sylvanus Wilson came from his rural home in Chester county, and arrived in this virtuous city of Philadelphia on yesterday morning." This only referenced scrapple in Pennsylvania, but may hav intrigued readers in Massachusetts who wanted to know what it might be. 

The Hampshire Gazette & Northampton Courier, August 19, 1862, presented an article on Rearing and Fattening Hogs by Gates Henry of Pennsylvania. It mentioned, "The way in which to realize the most money out of the hog meat is to cut every available scrap into sausage meat, and boil the rest into scrapple (curing only the hams), and selling it while fresh, and the sooner the better, as both sausage and scrapple command a higher price early in the winter than at any other season." Again, this is only a reference to Pennsylvania, although it's interesting to see that its price depended on the season. 

The Massachusetts Ploughman, December 26, 1863, also noted a Pennsylvania article on killing and cutting up hogs. The article stated that in cutting up a pig's head, "skin the snout--and take off the flesh for scrapple and throw the nasal organs away."

The first article mentioning that scrapple was available in Massachusetts was from 1864. The Salem Register, January 25, 1864, printed an advertisement for the Essex Market, which sold a variety of meats and vegetables, including "Scrapple" which is "partially cooked and a portion of the fat extracted." Who was eating scrapple at that time? Were they eating it for breakfast?

A scrapple recipe! The New England Farmer, March 31, 1866, presented the first scrapple recipe in a Massachusetts newspaper. It was in a letter submitted from a reader in Vermont, who seemed familiar with Pennsylvania. The reader begins, "But I wonder if she ever heard of anything called Scrapple. If not, I conclude she is not a Pennsylvanian." For the recipe, it states, "I take the upper half of a hog's head, upper joints of the legs, and the bloody pieces about the neck where the hog is struck, and all the rinds that come off the meat, and boil them until I can remove the bones easily." 

The meat will eventually be seasoned with salt, pepper and sage. Later, you will add 2 handfuls of sifted wheat flour and 1 handful of Indian meal. Once done, it's placed into tin pans to cool, and 24 hours later, you can cut it into half-inch slices and fry it up. "It is very handy for breakfast these cold mornings..."  

There was another recipe in the Springfield Daily Republican, January 30, 1872, requiring a pig's head for the meat. The meat was to be seasoned with pepper, salt, thyme, sage, and sweet marjoram, different from the prior recipe. Then, it called for equal parts of buckwheat and corn meal, a proportion different from the prior recipe too. The cost to make this recipe was said to be 50 cents, but it would provide a family of five enough food for breakfast for an entire week. 

A week later, the Springfield Daily Republican, February 8, 1872, discussed a man in New York talking about the amount he paid for food each week. His wife allotted 45 cents for breakfast, and the man stated, "Could I do it for less eating scrapple? I know what it is; it's an old Pennsylvania dish, and my wife's folks come from Bucks county. Don't think we would like it every day of the week." He also noted that one of his daughters is delicate so "must not eat greasy food."

The Boston Semi-Weekly Advertiser, February 9, 1872, referenced an article in the New York Times which gave advice on managing a limited income, and it noted that scrapple was a cheap dish.

The Recorder, February 25, 1878, provided another scrapple recipe, similar in several ways to the previous recipe from the Springfield Daily Republican, January 30, 1872. The Recorder recipe also mentions using a fresh pig’s head, but also "other cuttings of pork." The seasonings for the meat are the same, but it's thickened only with yellow Indian-meal (cornmeal), and no flour.

Scrapple in the Arctic? The New England Farmer, April 5, 1884, reported on the outfitting of the Greely Relief Expedition to the Arctic. Also known as the Lady Franklin Bay Expedition, its purpose was to establish a meteorological-observation station. They needed to pack food supplies for 140 men for 2 years, 60 dogs and their drivers. Their cargo included 2000 pounds of Philadelphia scrapple, and it was said, “Scrapple is a hash of meat well boiled and mixed properly with corn meal and buckwheat flour.” 

The Boston Evening Transcript, April 19, 1884, provided the above recipe for Corned Beef Scrapple, maybe because of the strong Irish population of the area. The recipe called for a four-pound piece of corned beef, which would later be mixed with a cup of hominy grits and two cups of yellow corn-meal, as well as seasonings of black pepper and sage. This scrapple recipe might appeal to people who are too squeamish to eat scrapple made from pig's heads or offal. 

Scrapple and the holidays! The Boston Globe, November 11, 1885, in an article on Good Things for Thanksgiving, noted, "Scrapple from Philadelphia is ten cents a pound." And the Boston Globe, December 19, 1886, presented suggested menus for Christmas week dinners and one of those supper menus included Fried Scrapple, Stewed Prunes and Bread.  

The Springfield Daily Republican, December 1, 1890, presented a scrapple recipe from Good Housekeeping magazine. Again, a pig's head, without the brains, was used, although noting the brains "make an excellent entree." About three cupfuls of yellow meal would be added to it, and seasoned with salt, red and black pepper, powdered thyme, and sage. It was also stated, "This is a winter dish and especially goof with buckwheat cakes."

Another recipe. The New England Farmer, January 2, 1892, provided its own recipe for scrapple, calling for pig's feet, ears, and the upper part of the head. It would be seasoned with only salt and pepper, and sifted corn meal would be added as well, until it became a mush. 

The Boston Globe, August 27, 1893, provided this scrapple recipe, similar to some of the prior ones. 

The Standard Times, November 15, 1894, printed an ad for E.C. Brownell & Co., located in New Bedford, which indicated they sold scrapple.

A beef scrapple recipe! The Boston Globe, January 12, 1895, provided this alternative scrapple recipe, which used a beef brisket. It required the addition of sweet marjoram, thyme, parsley, chopped celery tops, and two onions. It also asked for yellow Indian meal, and no type of flour.

The Evening Herald, August 13, 1895, presented an amusing item, which probably wasn't actually true, about scrapple at Philadelphia hotels. "Scrapple and fried mush are the principal breakfast dishes in Philadelphia. The hotels print these two dishes in black type at the head of their bills of fare. If you pass them over and order something else, the waiter looks at you with astonishment. Then he brings you as little as he can of the dishes you order and extra large portions of scrapple and fried mush besides. He stands at your elbow and watches you eat. If you don't tackle the scrapple and mush at once, he will push the other dishes out of your way."

The Boston Globe, April 18, 1896, printed a recipe for Philadelphia Scrapple, calling for 6 pounds of pork (of unspecified type) and 4 pounds of beef liver. The seasonings included sage (or mixed herbs if preferred), black pepper, cayenne pepper and salt. It would also be thickened with Indian meal, without any flour.

Another beef scrapple recipe. The Boston Morning Journal, October 29, 1896, provided a recipe for beef scrapple, claiming it is "more healthful than when made from pork."

The Boston Evening Transcript, November 20, 1896, briefly mentioned that Philadelphia scrapple "has now become a feature of the most fashionable cafes in New York." Such a humble dish making its appearance in such fashionable spots. 

The Springfield Daily Republican, January 29, 1897, presented an ad for State-Street Market Co., noting that it sold "Philadelphia Scrapple. Something new."

The Boston Evening Transcript, February 20, 1897, offered another recipe for scrapple, stating the dish is made "from pig's head or nice bits of lean fresh pork, the tongue, and parts of the liver." It was to be seasoned with salt, pepper and herbs. Although it called for yellow Indian meal, it noted some people referred a mix of meal and buckwheat flour.

The Worcester Daily Spy, April 15, 1897, offered its own take on a scrapple recipe. 

Another amusing article. The Boston Evening Transcript, September 28, 1897, published an article titled, "Pennsylvania's Depraved Diet." It noted, "Sausage is so suspiciously made from doubtful parts of pork meat as to be shunned by many. The parts too poor for sausage--literally scraps--these, with a liberal admixture of corn-meal, the whole being boiled to homogeneity and cooled in pans, constitute scrapple." It continued, "Scrapple would seem to be an evolution or hard times and frugality...for every gustatory law is apparently violated in scrapple."

And one more scrapple recipe as in the North Adams Transcript, May 28, 1898.

And we finish with a deadly scrapple! The Boston Globe, February 3, 1899, reported that, "Ptomaine poisoning caused by eating scrapple has just killed a man in Philadelphia, but any true Philadelphian will brave death cheerfully rather than give scrapple up." 

This appears to have actually happened. The Harrisburg Telegraph (PN), February 1, 1899, reported that Charles H. Taylor, age 59, died, apparently from ptomaine poisoning, "the result of impure meat used in the manufacture of scrapple, which article of food he ate for breakfast." This article was repeated in a number of other Pennsylvania newspapers.

So, we have seen some of the history of scrapple in Massachusetts during the 19th century. I've provided a number of early recipes, which vary to one degree or another, and also showed that it was commercially available at different times. Today, it's rare to find scrapple in Massachusetts on restaurant menus or at grocery stores. 

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Peter Bryant's* Scrapple Recipe: Peter generously shared his recipe with me, allowing me to post it on my blog. His recipe has options so you can make a more traditional version, or Peter's variation (which might appeal more to those who are squeamish about using offal). I enjoyed the scrapple prepared using his variation, and it's certainly a dish that many people would enjoy if they were willing to taste it. 

Ingredients
2 pounds of pork shoulder
1/2 pound of pork liver (see substitution below)
3 quarts of stock (from cooking, see below)
1/4 cup of sage
1/4 cup of salt (I substitute about a quarter of this with MSG)
1/4 cup of black pepper (I substitute half of this with Old Bay seasoning)
1 pound of corn meal
12 ounces of flour (substitute corn flour or buckwheat for gluten free).

Directions

     Cook the pork shoulder in about 3 quarts of water. Bone-in is preferred for flavor. Go a little heavier to account for bone weight. I use an Instapot, high pressure for 45 minutes.
     If you are using liver, put this in there as well. Liver is traditional and I don't mind it. However, I prefer to substitute in 1/4 pound of sausage and 1/4 pound of thick cut bacon. Fry that up and set aside.
     Remove the meat from the stock. Strain the stock but save it. Put 3 quarts of that into a pot along with spices and set to boil.
     Shred the pork and fine chop liver (or the bacon and sausage).
     Once the water is boiling, carefully whisk in the grains and return to a boil (keep stirring).
     Once it is boiling, mix in your meats.
     Turn off the heat and put into pans for cooling. I use mini loaf pans as I'm the only one in my house that eats scrapple.
     Once it's cool enough, cover and put in the refrigerator over night. You can vaccu-seal what you don’t eat and freeze it for later. 

*Peter Bryant is an engineer, game designer, artist, and food enthusiast. You can find him and his work on Instagram @peterbbryant or at solariangames.com

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Are you a fan of scrapple? Do you make your own recipe at home? Have you enjoyed scrapple at any Boston+ area restaurants? Do you purchase scrapple at local grocery stories and cook it at home?

The Origins of Chinese Spareribs & Boneless Spareribs

Ubiquitous at many Chinese restaurants are Chinese spareribs, known in China as páigǔ, which literally means "row of bones," an appropriately descriptive term. They are commonly served on the bone, on a plate with several individual ribs. In addition, at some Chinese restaurants you can also find boneless spareribs (although technically the meat isn't from spareribs). Chinese spareribs often possess a bright red color, which is commonly due to food coloring, and the first use of such food coloring might have originated in Boston, Massachusetts. 

When did Chinese spareribs first appear in the U.S.? And when did boneless spareribs first appear in the U.S.? Let's delve into their history, and also see some of the earliest recipes that were made available.    

Maybe the first documented reference to Chinese spareribs in the U.S. was in 1921. The Chicago Daily News (IL), June 25, 1921, reported that a man entered a Chinese restaurant and asked for "Chinese spareribs" but was served a chicken dish instead. This led to a physical fight, and the police got involved. The article didn't seem to indicate that Chinese spareribs were unique or rare, and implies that they had previously existed for some unknown time at Chinese restaurants. So, Chinese spareribs most likely existed in the U.S. prior to 1921, but we lack evidence to indicate when they first appeared. 

We also have to consider that this article didn't describe the Chinese spareribs so it's unclear the exact nature of the dish, and whether it resembled or not the modern versions of this dish. However, once we see subsequent recipes, in the later 1920s and 1930s, it seems probable the original dish was different from the modern version. 

The Columbia Missourian (MO), April 5, 1924, may have offered the first printed recipe for Chinese Spare Ribs. It's interesting to note that the ribs were supposed to be cut into small pieces, about 1 1/2 inches long. This is obviously different from the long spareribs you now receive at most Chinese restaurants. I'll note that the use of small pieces of ribs seemed common for many years to come. The sauce for the ribs was made of soy sauce ("Chinese sauce"), sugar, vinegar, salt, ginger powder and flour. These would not have possessed the bright red color we now find on most Chinese spareribs. 

A few years later, the Red Bluff Tehama County Daily News (CA), June 7, 1927, discussed another physical fight over spareribs at a Chinese restaurant. A couple Filipinos entered a chop suey restaurant, owned by Jung Don, and asked "Have you any spareribs, Chinese style, sweet and sour?" Jung told them that they didn't have enough money to pay for the spareribs. That led to a fight and the Filipinos were subsequently arrested for disturbing the peace. At the hearing, there was a "thesis on the Chinese style of preparing spareribs," and the Filipinos were convicted and made to pay a $25 fine. One of the defendants also stated that the Chinese and Filipinos never got along. 

The Times Standard (CA), May 25, 1928, published an advertisement for the Mandarin Café, which announced that “Pik-Woi (Chinese Style Spare Ribs)" would now be served. This was the only reference I found to the term "Pik-woi." 

The Cleveland Press (OH), April 17, 1929, published a recipe for "Chinese Pickled Spareribs," and it was reprinted in newspapers across the country, including in Michigan, Virginia, New York, New Jersey, Georgia, Tennessee, South Carolina, North Carolina, and Hawaii. Again, the ribs were to be cut into small pieces, although this time no more than 2 1/2 inches in length.

The World (OR), February 13, 1931, had an ad for the opening of The Tientsin restaurant, and their dishes included “Chinese Pickled Spare-Ribs” for 45 cents. 

The Times (NJ), March 29, 1934, had a recipe contest for their readers, and Mrs. C.F. Suppers won a $1 award for her "Chinese Spareribs" recipe. It was similar to the previous recipe for "Chinese Pickled Spareribs." 

The Star Press (IN), August 9, 1934, provided a restaurant ad for Oriental Gardens, which offered "Tonight Free Chinese Spareribs." Another ad in the Muncie Evening Press (IN), October 24, 1934, for the Four Hundred Club, mentioned they served Chinese Spareribs, prepared by their Chinese chef.

The Star Press (IN), October 26, 1934, in an ad for the Wooden Shoe Inn, stated they offered "Chinese Baked Spare Ribs." 

A celebrity loves spareribs! The Brooklyn Eagle (NY), November 22, 1934, provided details about  Johnny Marvin, a famous musician known for playing the ukulele, including that his favorite dish was Chinese spareribs. This article was reprinted in many newspapers across the country. 

The Evening Vanguard (CA), April 27, 1935, published an ad for the China Cafe, which offered "Chinese Roast Spareribs." I'll note that a number of these restaurant ads failed to describe the name of their spareribs dishes. Were they still the small pieces of spareribs as previously mentioned? 

The Baker City Herald (CA), September 20, 1935, in a restaurant ad for Toy's Noodle Parlor, stated, "You will....enjoy our Chinese Spare Ribs, well cooked with a lot of gravy." 

The News-Pilot (CA), October 26, 1935, printed a restaurant ad for Doc Crow's Brass Rail stated they served "The World Famous Chinese Barbecued Spare Ribs."  

The Crete News (NE), April 22, 1937, mentioned how Chinese pork spare ribs were cut in small pieces and cooked in a solution of rice vinegar, soybean sauce, salt and sugar for one hour at low temperature. 

A similar sentiment was provided in the Lovington Reporter (IL), November 19, 1937. An article stated, "The well known Chinese dish 'sweet-sour spare-ribs' is made by breaking the ribs into small pieces and cooking them, with any meat that happens to be attached, in sweetened vinegar." This continues the thread that Chinese spareribs at this time were still commonly cut into small bites, and marinated in a sauce, rather than the larger spareribs most restaurant now offer. 

The Los Angeles Times (CA), December 2, 1937, ran this brief ad mentioning Barbecued Spare Ribs.

Need to make spareribs for 75 people? The Sexton Cook Book for the Sexton Market (John Sexton & Co., 1937) provided a recipe for Chinese Spareribs (Chinese), although it was for quite a large portion. The spareribs were cut into 1 inch pieces and the ingredients included broth, vinegar, soy bean sauce, sugar, salt and cornstarch.

The San Francisco Chronicle (CA), February 18, 1938, had a brief ad for Red’s Cocktail Bar, offering “Chinese Bar-B-Q Spareribs.”

A recipe, for Chinese Spareribs, in the Sacramento Bee (CA), January 19, 1940, stated the ribs should be cut in "serving pieces" but there's no indication of what that actually constituted. 

The Bakersfield Californian (CA), September 13, 1941, printed an ad for the Bamboo Chopsticks restaurant, which sold "Chinese Barbecued Spareribs (actually Barbecued in a Pit)."

The Boston Traveler (MA), February 25, 1942, provided a recipe for Chinese Spare Ribs from one of their readers. The ribs were once again asked to be cut into one inch cubes. This may also be the first documented mention of Chinese spareribs in Massachusetts. They were not the type of Chinese spareribs which are now found at many places. 

The spread of Chinese Spareribs! The Miami News (FL), August 16, 1944, printed an advertisement for the Kitty Davis Theater Restaurant in Miami Beach, Florida. Kitty just introduced Chinese Barbecued Spareribs to her restaurant, and it was mentioned, "Take a tip from New York, Chicago and Los Angeles. People there are going wild about Chinese Barbecued Spareribs."

The Times Union (NY), February 7, 1946, mentioned, "Ever eat Chinese spareribs? Charlie Murray was telling us about eating them at Ruby Foo's. He said they were so good he wanted the recipe. Very simple. You soak them in a spicy marinade, then roast them in plum sauce. They're so good you want more, and then you start letting a notch or two out of your belt."

The Pasadena Independent (CA), March 12, 1946, provided a different recipe than many of the previous ones, and included a number of ingredients not previously used, such as ketchup and Worcestershire sauce. And there was no mention of cutting the ribs into small pieces. It seems as if these ribs were kept their usual size, and not cut into 1-2 inches pieces. 

The Chicago Tribune (IL), March 17, 1946, published the above photo of a dish of Chinese spareribs, showing that they were cut into small pieces. 

The newspaper also offered this recipe for the dish. 

The Los Angeles Evening Citizen News (CA), August 24, 1946, had an ad for Che-Li-Café which served “Special Chinese Bar-B-Q Pork Spare Ribs.” 

The El Paso Herald-Post (TX), August 31, 1946, also had an ad, for the Camp Grandę Cafe, which served "Chinese Barbecued Spare Ribs." 

The Coast Dispatch (CA), December 5, 1946, noted, "An especial feature is Chinese barbecued spare ribs which attracts many diners to the Grand." The Grand Cafe had a Chinese chef, Tom Koon.

The Cincinnati Enquirer (OH), December 10, 1946, printed this recipe for Chinese Spareribs, and it required cutting the ribs into 1 inch pieces. 

The Pontiac Daily Press (MI), May 27, 1948, had a recipe for Sweet Sour Chinese Spareribs, which called for the use of raisins. 

This recipe in the Worcester Telegram (MA), February 28, 1949, was submitted by a reader who said she learned it in Texas. Again, the ribs were cut into one-inch pieces, and I'll note the added ingredient of sherry, which wasn't mentioned in other recipes. 

The Minneapolis Star (MN), September 28, 1949, noted that one of the best items at Trader Vic's were their Chinese barbecued spare ribs. Those ribs would soon end up on their PuPu platters, starting a trend for many Chinese and Polynesian restaurants in the future. 

How long were Trader Vic restaurants serving Chinese barbecued spare ribs? In Trader Vic's Book of Food and Drink (1946), there is a brief mention of Trader Vic having hosted a party the year before, and one of the items served was a "bowl of barbecued spareribs" but the book didn't have a recipe for those spareribs. In Trader Vic's Pacific Island Cookbook (1968), he again failed to provide a recipe for the spareribs, except that he did provide a recipe for "what Chinese restaurants do with leftover barbecued spareribs." The recipe calls for those ribs to be cut into bite sized pieces. This may indicate that the Trader Vic restaurants were serving long barbecued ribs, which later might be cut into small pieces once they became leftovers.

The Detroit Times Extra (MI), November 15, 1949, mentioned, "Delicate spareribs, cooked the Chinese way with sugar for sweetness and vinegar for sweetness are a delicious treat. Fluffy rice is the natural accompaniment." The article also provided a recipe for Chinese Spareribs, which were cut into 2 inch pieces.

The San Francisco Examiner (CA), November 24, 1949, ran an ad for the Teacup Restaurant, "Specializing in Chinese Barbecued Spare Ribs."

Pork dominance! The Fort Collins Coloradan (CO), February 9, 1950, noted, "With pork products on top of the February list of plentiful foods, spareribs should be high on your menus now. The Chinese are skillful with spareribs usually served in a sweet-sour sauce as appetizers. They can also be used as the main dish served with rice, pickled turnips and salted almonds." They also provided a recipe for the spareribs, noting, "Cut spareribs in one-rib pieces." The Springville Journal, February 16, 1950, added, "Pigs will be one of our most plentiful crops in 1950, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture." And that article also mentioned "sweet-sour Chinese style, spareribs barbecued,..."

The Boston Herald (MA), February 4, 1957, printed this recipe for Chinatown Spareribs, which were cut into 2 inch pieces. Was this the dominant style of spareribs in Boston's Chinatown at this time? 

The Quincy Patriot Ledger (MA), May 18, 1959, provided a fascinating recipe for Chinese Spareribs, which apparently were not cut into small pieces. The only ingredients for taste included margarine, wine vinegar, garlic, salt and pepper. The recipe also called for red food coloring, and this might be the first printed recipe for spareribs calling for that particular ingredient. 

Today, red food coloring is commonly used on Chinese spareribs, giving it the bright red color that many people want to see on their ribs. And if that color isn't there, some of those people will complain about the looks of those spareribs. The food coloring doesn't add anything to the flavor, it's only for the visual effect. 

Who was the first to use red food coloring on Chinese spareribs? There actually is a candidate, someone from Boston, who may have thus started a significant trend for the future. A fascinating article appeared in the Boston Globe, September 3, 1962, titled, “Here’s How To Cook in Chinese.” The article discussed the famed Anita Chue, who, with her husband Gorden Chue, opened the acclaimed Cathay House in Chinatown in 1945. The Esquire Magazine, December 1958, stated that Cathay House was one of the best Cantonese restaurants in the entire country. 

In the Globe article, Anita provided advice on Chinese cuisine, as well as giving information about the dishes prepared at her restaurant. She mentioned that “In Chinese cooking eye appeal is important.” She provided some specific examples of dishes made at the Cathay House, and also noted that “Pure food coloring gives barbecued spareribs their rich red color. My husband, Gordon, did it first, Now everybody adds red coloring to pork marinade.” 

Is this actually the case? Was Gordon Chue the first to add red food coloring to Chinese spareribs? It's certainly possible, and no one else has stepped forward as another candidate. And, all of the early references to the use of such food coloring occur in Massachusetts newspapers, which adds credence to its first use in Massachusetts. It's unknown when Gordon first started using the food color, and it could have been anytime after 1945.

The Boston Globe, August 3, 1960, also had a recipe for Chinese-Style Spareribs, which called for the use of red food coloring. 

During the 1960s, many of the Chinese sparerib recipes started changing, so that the ribs weren't cut into small pieces any longer. They started becoming more like what we now know as Chinese spareribs, and other recipes, outside of Massachusetts, started using red food color too. So, after about 40 years since the first known reference to Chinese spareribs, they had transformed largely into what is now served in many Chinese restaurants.

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However, what about Boneless Spareribs? Many sources claim that boneless spareribs are a more recent invention, a less expensive alternative to bone-in spareribs as well as also being less messy. However, the first appearance of boneless spareribs in a Chinese restaurant in the U.S. actually extends back over 85 years, to the 1930s.

The Brooklyn Citizen (NY), March 12, 1938, briefly mentioned that the Cathay Restaurant, at West 52nd Street, Manhattan, offered “sweet sour boneless spareribs.”

Another mention was in the Courier Journal (KY), November 4, 1941. James Wong Howe, a Hollywood cameraman and restaurateur, owned a restaurant named Ching How, which was located near Hollywood. the restaurant had a special barbecue oven and their menu included, “Wor Siu Py Gutt: Boneless spareribs in sweet and sour sauce, sprinkled with crushed almonds.” This article was reprinted across the country, so many people thus heard about boneless spareribs. 

The Des Moines Register (Iowa), May 14, 1943, noted that the New Grand East Chinese restaurant in Los Angeles served “boneless spareribs with pineapple (a la Clark Gable).”

The Washington Daily News (D.C.), January 15, 1949, spoke to the chef from the Casino Royal, asking him about the dishes he brought with him from Hong Kong. He stated that included, “Sweet and Pungent Boneless Spareribs: Boneless spareribs dipped in egg, sauted in pineapple, vegetables and green peppers flavored with sweet and pungent sauces.” This is certainly very different to the basic version of boneless spareribs that dominates Chinese menus nowadays. 

The Washington Daily News (D.C.), January 21, 1950, also noted that The New Sun restaurant had a new chef, and “Also delicious are his boneless spareribs with sweet and sour sauce.”

The Record (CA), November 17, 1951, published an ad for Canton Low, and their dinner special included Boneless Spareribs. 

The Tulare Advance-Register (CA), November 21, 1953, had an advertisement for the Chinese Tea House which offered Boneless Sparerib. 

The Houston Chronicle (TX), September 14, 1956, noted that at the Ding How restaurant they had “sweet and sour boneless spareribs.”

The New York Amsterdam News (NY), November 22, 1969, made brief mention of "Sweet and Pungent Boneless Spareribs: Boneless spareribs dipped in egg, sautéed with pineapple, vegetables and green peppers flavored with sweet and pungent sauces."

Boneless spareribs though weren't referenced in any Massachusetts newspaper until around November 1981. The Boston Globe, May 20, 1987 ran an article with that stated, "The so-called boneless spareribs found in some Chinese restaurants are not really ribs at all....Rather they are thin strips cut from the pork butt or shoulder."

And it would be the 1980s that started to see more references across the country for "boneless spareribs," which resembled those we now see on restaurant menus. It's now much more difficult to find the original style of the dish, with a sweet and sour sauce, pineapple, and veggies. Today, the boneless spareribs that are commonly offered at Chinese restaurants today are generally presented on their own, without any accompanying vegetables or fruits. They are often an appetizer, part of a PuPu platter or combination special. So, boneless spareribs evolved over time, from the 1930s, just like bone-in spareribs. 

We now we have a deeper understanding of the spareribs, a staple appetizer in many Chinese restaurants.