Origins of Anadama Bread, a New England Classic

Are you a fan of Anadama bread?

Anadama bread (also known as amadama, amidama, ammy dammy, annadama, and yami-dami) is a New England specialty, a loaf bread primarily made with cornmeal, molasses and white flour, although it sometimes is also made with rye flour. With a darker color, it commonly has a nutty, sweet taste and a soft texture. It's not as commonly available nowadays as it once was, but you can still find it at some local bakeries, or you can make it yourself at home.

Its origins are murky, with several different stories about its creation, which generally lack any supporting evidence. For example, some sources claim the bread originated with the Native Americans, and their recipe was eventually adopted by the Puritans. Others claim the bread was created in the late 19th century, maybe in Gloucester or Rockport. There's also a fanciful tale of how the bread acquired its name, involving a lazy wife and her husband who ends up baking the bread. 

I'll provide some documentary evidence to try to better understand the true origins of Anadama bread, including what may be the oldest documented reference to the bread, which isn't included in any of the other articles about its origins which I have seen.  

Some sources claim that the earliest printed reference to Anadama bread (in any of its spellings) was in 1915, in a book, Dialect Notes. However, other sources indicate an earlier reference, a cookbook known as Reliable Receipts For the House Wife. The first edition of this book is from 1888, but that edition doesn't appear readily available, so it's difficult to know for a surety that it actually included a recipe for Anadama. And I have yet to seen any evidence to prove the 1888 edition included that recipe. However, we can be sure that the 3rd edition, published in 1900, does have such a recipe. 

Anadama bread is sometimes thought to have been inspired by brown bread. One type of Colonial brown bread was called "Rye-n'-injun," as it was made with a mixture of rye and corn meal (Indian meal), and sometimes sweetened with molasses. However, the bread was commonly steamed, as many lacked ovens to bake their bread. Later recipes for Anadama bread sometimes used a combination of rye, corn meal, and molasses, while other recipes omitted the rye or even the corn meal. 

My own research found an even older reference to those commonly put forth for Anadama, to one of its alternative spellings, "Amidama" bread. The Resident and Business Directory of Rockport, Mass. (1888-1889), provided a brief advertisement for the King Street Bakery, located at 12 King Street. The ad stated they were “Bakers of Soft Bread, Cake, Pastry and the Celebrated ‘Amidama’ Bread.” This indicates that Amidama bread was already well known at that point. It's interesting that this ad did not specifically indicate whether the bakery invented this type of bread or not. We also don't know how long this bakery has been making Amidama bread, and it's difficult to find any older Rockport directories online. 

More information about this bakery was provided in Bakers and Baking in Massachusetts (1909) by Arthur W. Brayley, noted that Eben Knowlton established a bakery in Rockport in 1848, although the name of the bakery wasn't provided. So, it's unsure whether Eben started King Street Bakery in 1848 or not. One of his sons, Benjamin H. Knowlton, was born on December 6, 1863, and eventually worked at his father's bakery. When Eben died in 1903, Benjamin became the owner, and it was said that his specialty was Amadama Bread (the first use of this other name for this bread). Unfortunately, Benjamin passed away in 1912. It's possible that Eben was the inventor of Amidama bread.  

Let's return to the Reliable Receipts For the House Wife (3rd edition, 1900), which was contributed by the Ladies of the First Baptist Church, Gloucester, MA. This edition is the only one available online, so we can't say for a surety that earlier editions included the recipe. Above is a picture of their recipe for Amidama bread, aka Johnston’s Brick Loaf, in the 3rd edition. It's possible that Amidama might be the first name for this type of bread, preceding its later name as Anadama bread. 

Some sources theorize, based on this reference, that Anadama bread originated at Johnston's bakery in Gloucester during the 1880s. However, when I checked the Resident and Business Directories of Gloucester during the 1880s, I didn't find any reference to Amidama bread or a bakery owned by a Johnston. It seems doubtful that a Johnston bakery existed in Gloucester during the 1880s.  

An intriguing article appeared in the Buffalo Evening News (NY), November 6, 1906, which referenced a prior article in the Boston Transcript. It included a couple new names for Anadama bread: the "epidemic bread" and "ammy dammy bread." The article was titled, Epidemic Bread, and it stated, “Some sixty years ago, says the Boston Transcript, the bread mentioned was by a skilled baker at Gloucester. This is the traditional receipt (sic), then a secret. I have good reason to believe it accurate. One cup rye meal, one-half cup molasses, one-half cup yeast, one pint lukewarm water, salt. Thicken with white flour is stiff as can be stirred with a spoon. The bread became famous. Summer boarders, mostly from Boston in those days, were known to plan its after use at the home table. From its great popularity it was humorously called ‘the epidemic bread.’ A little miss, unskilled in words, sent to the bakershop for a loaf, said, ‘Mother wants some of that ammy dammy bread.’ And it was known by this name ever after.” 

This article would seem to indicate Anadama bread originated in the late 1840s in Gloucester. However, there is a significant problem with the recipe that was provided in this article as it omitted corn meal, aka Indian meal, an essential ingredient for Anadama bread. The article also appeared to include the first written references to "epidemic bread" and "ammy dammy bread." If the bread had been previously so popular, you would have expected at least the term epidemic bread to have been printed earlier. 

The Dialect Notes, Volume IV, Part III (1915) included a section on “Colonial Cookery Terms,” which were "taken from old recipes preserved in the family of Miss Rogers or collected by her for use in the Chimney Corner Inn, the home of Deacon John Cooper, built in Cambridge in 1657, and now in possession of the Society for the Preservation of New England Antiquities.” One of the terms was “Ammy Dammy bread. A kind of loaf bread. Recipe from Old Salem Tavern.” This would seem to indicate that the origins of Anadama bread reached back to Colonial times. 

The cookbook, More Recipes For Fifty (1918) by Frances Lowe Smith, provided the recipe for "Yami-Dami Bread." This is another term for Anadama bread, and the first written reference for it. 

During the 1920s, a number of newspapers discussed the possible origins for Anadama bread, offering at least three different versions. It seems no one could agree on its true origins. 

The Bridgeport Times (CT), January 4, 1922, noted, “Amadama bread was first originated in Gloucester, Mass. by a Mrs. John S. Johnston who had a ‘bakehouse’ there in our forefathers’ time." She later gave the recipe to the Ladies of the First Baptist Church who published it in their ‘Reliable Cook Book.’ The article also stated that it was almost impossible to explain origin of name Amadama. 

The article continued, “... when Mrs. Johnston first introduced the bread housewives clamored for it and it became most popular. For this reason Mrs. Johnston called it ‘Epidemic Bread,’ which name was mispronounced by an ignorant maid in one customer’s home, who called it ‘amadama.” This later point seems to run contrary to the recipe provided in the Reliable Cook Book, where it was referred to as Johnston’s Brick Loaf (or Amidama Bread). 

Two years later, The Country Gentleman: For the American Farmer and His Family (May 3, 1924), discussed "Ammy-dammy Bread." The article stated, “In the days when the stagecoach was the only means of transportation between the towns, there was a tavern on the road from Salem to Boston that made and sold a certain kind of bread. It became so popular that one traveller told another and people even sent from the city for a loaf of what they called from its (word unknown) ‘Epidemic Bread.’ One day a little girl being sent for some, and finding the name too difficult to master, asked for a loaf of ‘ammy-dammy bread,’ by which it was known ever after.” The above recipe was also provided, allegedly, “the way the originator made it.”

This origin tale seems to reflect what was previously provided in the Dialect Notes, Volume IV, Part III (1915), especially the mention of the Old Salem Tavern. It also reflected some of what was provided in the Buffalo Evening News (NY), November 6, 1906, especially concerning epidemic bread and ammy-dammy bread. The recipe is also the same as provided in the Buffalo Evening News, which omitted corn meal, considered an essential ingredient in Anadama bread.

Five years later, the Morning Union (MA), November 22, 1929, published an article on Thanksgiving Cookery. It was noted that many of the recipes were acquired from the Native Americans, including “ammy-dammy bread” It continued, “Then there was ammy-dammy bread, the basis of which was yellow cornmeal. The following recipe is taken out of an old kitchen scrapbook, one that has been well thumbed by many generations of cooks. One half cup of yellow cornmeal; one half cup of molasses; one tablespoon of lard: one teaspoon of salt, and two cups of boiling water. After the mixture has become lukewarm add one yeast cake dissolved in a half cup of water. Now mix in sufficient bread flour—in Colonial days this flour was the home-milled product—to make a stiff dough. Let it rise overnight. In the morning stir down and divided into four baking pans. Again it should be allowed to rise, and then into the oven for 45 minutes baking.

This supports the prior claim that Anadama bread reaches back to Colonial times, and originated with the Native Americans. This article would be reprinted over the next several years in other newspapers in New England.

During the later 1930s, another origin tale arose, one which has become very prominent, although often slightly revised, in the legends of the origins of Anadama bread, probably because the story seems more interesting. The Centre Daily Times (PA), July 8, 1937, claimed the recipe for Anadama bread was over 200 years old, having originated with the Puritans. It was alleged that a man had a lazy wife, named Anna, who predominantly fed him plates of mush. One day, tired with all of that simple mush, the man decided to mix the mush with other ingredients, baking it into a loaf. He allegedly commented that he had to cook “because my Anna, dam ‘er, won’t.” Thus, his load eventually became known as "Annadammer" and then later it was shortened to "Anadama."

Later articles would repeat a similar tale of a man and his lazy wife, Anna, although the time period would be later, the man might be a fisherman, and the location would be Gloucester or Rockport. It's a fanciful tale, which likely has no reflection of reality, but people like a good story, even if it isn't true. 

The New England Yankee Cook Book: An Anthology of Incomparable Recipes from the Six New England States (1939) by Imogene B. Wolcott,  repeated the tale that a man, who was a fisherman, had a lazy wife, had to do his own cooking, and named one of his creation after his wife, “Anna, damn her.” It was also noted that "This is an old Concord, Mass., recipe." A recipe (pictured above) was included, although its source was a woman from Manchester, New Hampshire. 

The Bangor Daily Commercial (ME), October 16, 1940, had previously attributed the creation of Anadama bread to Concord, Massachusetts, likely basing it on information from the New England Yankee Cook Book. However, some readers claimed the newspaper was wrong, and that the bread was actually created in Rockport. A reader stated, “... the recipe was original with a Mrs. Knowlton of Rockport, Mass., and was kept a family secret for several years. I bought it frequently fifty years ago from their bakery." This connects to the prior reference of King Street Bakery, in Rockport, owned by Eben and Benjamin Knowlton, although that reference didn't mention a Mrs. Knowlton.  

The article also provided a recipe for “Annadama Bread," which is pictured above.

The Rutland Daily Herald (VT), August 10, 1948, published another version of the origins of Annadama bread. It claimed that a Cape Ann fisherman had a lazy wife who often didn't prepare anything for dinner. One day, the man tried to create something from mush and molasses, creating a tasty bread. He continued to make this bread, sometimes giving it to his neighbors. A neighbor asked him the name of the bread and the man decided to name it after his wife, "Anna, damn her." 

The Freeport Facts (ME), June 2, 1953, published a recipe for Ammydammy bread, and it stated the real name was Anadama Bread. It was also claimed that this bread  “... was first turned out by the Blacksmith Shop Pastries in Rockport, Mass.” This is the first mention of this bakery being involved in the story of Anadama bread. However, the evidence shows Anadama bread couldn't have originated at the Blacksmith Shop, which didn't exist until the 1940s.

In the 1940s, William and Melissa Smith owned a restaurant in Rockport called The Blacksmith Shop. At some point, they opened a small bakery to supply their restaurant with bread, including (and maybe solely) Anadama bread. In 1954, they formed Anadama Bread, Inc., and established a new, larger bakery in 1956. In 1964, they also formed a subsidiary, Anadama Mixes, Inc. The Smiths would apply for a trademark for "Anadama", claiming that the first use of the term was in 1850, and that the first commercial use was on July 1, 1876, although no specifics were provided. However, both corporations were involuntary dissolved in October 1983.

The origins of Anadama bread remain murky, but some clarity has arisen, especially pushing the date of the oldest known printed reference. From an advertisement in a Rockport directory of 1888-1889, the King Street Bakery, owned by Eben Knowlton, was noted as producing Amidama bread. Eben had been a baker since 1848, and is a potential candidate for being the inventor of Anadama bread. More research into the King Street bakery and Eben Knowlton could uncover older references to Amidama bread. 

What is your favorite bakery to get Anadama Bread?

Rant: We Don't Need Cookbook Photos!

"Having a recipe published with an accompanying photo is a pretty modern invention. We have been following recipes without photos for centuries." 

--Buttermilk Graffiti by Edward Lee

When I examine my old cookbooks, I find this to be true, as they rarely have any photos. Plus, old newspapers rarely provided photos of any of the recipes they printed. No one seemed to complain then that they didn't have a photo to use as a guide. 

Nowadays, most cookbooks are filled with gorgeous, full-color photos of food, illustrating the results of their recipes. On social media, many people show off their preparations of various dishes, emphasizing the beauty of their final results. Despite the physical allure of the look of these dishes, it doesn't promise that the dishes taste good. In addition, many home cooks are later unable to replicate the beauty of these dishes when they try to prepare them at home.  

"When we don’t know what the end result is supposed to look like, the imagination is allowed to roam free and we come up with our own conclusions. Pictures are excellent guides, and can give you a goal to aspire to, but they can also have a negative effect. If you make a dish and it doesn’t look exactly like the photo, you might feel a sense of failure."

--Buttermilk Graffiti by Edward Lee

Have you felt this way? Have you tried to prepare a recipe and felt bad that it didn't look like the photo or video you had seen? I know I have felt this way, and I suspect many others have felt this way too at some point. You shouldn't feel this way at all. 

"I want you to pay attention to the aromas, flavors, textures, to the feel of the food in your mouth. Don’t worry if what you make doesn’t look good enough to be on the cover of a magazine. If it tastes good, you’ve succeeded."

--Buttermilk Graffiti by Edward Lee 

Lee couldn't be more correct. In the end, it's the taste that matters the most. Ugly food can be delicious and beautiful food can taste terrible. We need to go beyond the shallow view that only beautiful food should be promoted and make taste the most important objective of any recipe. Photos and videos can present a high standard that many home cooks can't meet, but that shouldn't stop home cooks from preparing and enjoying these recipes, relying more on taste than looks. Don't worry if your dish doesn't look like a beautiful photo. 

I'll also add that Buttermilk Graffiti by Edward Lee is a superb book and I highly recommend it. Lee travels across the country, telling fascinating culinary stories about restaurants, bakeries, and other places. He presents a number of recipes as well, none of which have photos (although you can go to his website and see photos if you must). In a local connection, Lee even writes about a compelling Cambodian restaurant in Lowell, Massachusetts. The book is an enjoyable read, filled with plenty of intriguing information about food, restaurants, and more. 

Exploring Biddeford to Portland, Maine (Part 1)

This past weekend, I traveled to the Biddeford/Portland region for a short vacation, and had lots of fun exploring this area. We began our trip on Friday morning, spending several hours in Biddeford, and then driving to Portland, stopping at several sites on route. We spent two nights in Portland, leaving for home early on Sunday morning. 

During this short time, we found a number of interesting restaurants, bakeries, donut shops, wine shops, and more. I'll be highlighting these places in a couple of articles, but please note that there are also plenty of cool spots that I didn't visit while I was in Biddeford/Portland, which hopefully I'll get to see on my next trip there. 

If you're traveling north to Portland, you should take some time and visit Biddeford as well, which is becoming a very cool destination, with a number of interesting restaurants, breweries, wine shops, and more. 

Our first stop in Biddeford on Friday morning was the Palace Diner, located at 18 Franklin St., and it's open every day from 8am-2pm. The diner is within a Pollard train car which was constructed in Lowell, Massachusetts back in 1927, and has been operating as a diner since that time, making it maybe the oldest still-existing restaurant in Maine. The diner has been at a few different locations in Biddeford, but all very close to its current address. 

In 2014, Chad Conley and Greg Mitchell took over ownership of the diner, which only has 15-seats, and they have been receiving accolades ever since. The diner doesn't take any reservations, and only accepts cash. We were fortunate that when we arrived, there were two still spots available, so we didn't have to wait. By the time we left, there was a small line of people waiting for seats. Breakfast and lunch is available all day, and the menu is relatively small, with 7 breakfast plates and 4 lunch sandwiches available. Prices range from $10-$20, averaging about $15.  

The Omelet du Jour ($17) was made with broccoli, feta and cheddar cheese and accompanied by Palace potatoes and your choice of bread. The omelet was well-made, with lots of cheese and broccoli bits. The smashed potatoes were excellent, so crispy with fluffier potato inside, and these are one of the reasons for the fame of the diner. You can find the simple recipe for these Palace potatoes here.

The Lumberjack Breakfast ($20) comes with 5 silver dollar flapjacks, two eggs, Palace potatoes, and a side of meat. I loved the smashed potatoes too, and probably would order an extra-side of them next time. The bacon was also thick, crisp, and tasty. The pancakes are made from a recipe inspired by research through old American cookbooks, and a couple of the ingredients include buttermilk and lemon. The pancakes were nicely fluffy and light, with a hint of lemon flavor. I ordered a side of toast ($2), but that only included a single slice of toast. If you want more than one slice, you need to ask for it. 

The Pepperell Mill Campus includes a series of connected buildings, located in historic old textile mills, which are home to numerous businesses. It's located next to the Saco River, and from the windows of the Campus, you can see the Saco falls and dam. If you look at the Campus directory, you can see many businesses of interest, including Lucky Pigeon Brewing, Banded Brewing, Round Turn Distilling, Rover Bagel, Time & Tide Coffee, and a number of art studios. 

My favorite stop at the Campus was at Rabelais, an amazing food & drink used and rare bookstore. I used to shop at their former Portland location, but this was my first time to their Biddeford location. The new shop is much larger than it used to be and it contains such a large & diverse selection, including some very rare items. Besides books, they have various ephemera, from restaurant menus to advertisements, and much more. I could easily spend hours there, perusing through all the shelves & boxes. Their service is exceptional as well, and they will help you find books on any subject you desire, even showing you boxes of items which haven't yet been shelved. Highly recommended!

We stopped for coffee and iced tea at Elements: Books, Coffee, Beer, located at 265 Main St. Quite a combination here, a bookstore that offers both alcoholic and nonalcoholic drinks. Their coffee is locally roasted, and they have a number of local craft beers on their menu. They also sell hard cider, hard seltzers and wine. In addition, you can find bagels, pastries, cheese boards, and other snacks. A cool place for a rest while you're walking around Biddeford. 

The Awesome Hobby Shop, located at 311 Main St., is a fun comic book and game shop, just a short walk from Elements. Get some of the newest items, or just more collector's items. 

A few of the spots we didn't get the chance to visit, but are on my short list for a future visit include:

--Jack Rabbit, 14 Main St., A Scandinavian inspired bakery.  
--Lorne Wine, 61 Main St., A bar & wineshop

--Nibblesford Cheese Shop, 5 Washington St., A cheese shop.

Finally, on the return home, we stopped at Valerie's Scratch Kitchen, at 45 Boulder Way, Biddeford for breakfast. This is a much larger breakfast spot, with quite an extensive menu, and was nearly full when we arrived on Sunday morning. Breakfast sandwiches, Benedict dishes, Crepes, Pancakes, Waffles, Omelets, French Toast, and more. Most dishes cost under $10, making this a very reasonably priced breakfast spot.  

We began with the Cinnamon-Sugar Donut Bites ($7.99), which were far larger than the usual donut bites. Probably more like five-bite donuts, with a crispy exterior and a softer interior. 

The Bellybuster ($14.99--and the most expensive dish on the menu) includes two eggs, two bacon slices, two sausage links, a ham steak, two pancakes (or French toast), toast and home fries. It would certainly fill anyone's appetite, and was a tasty breakfast. 

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After leaving Biddeford on Friday afternoon, we drove north on Route 1 toward Portland, making several stops on route, whenever we saw a place of interest. I'll note that some places were seasonally closed, like ice cream shops, so there would have been even more places to visit during the spring and summer. 

We checked out the Southern Maine Indoor Flea Market, located at 578 US Route 1, Scarborough, which is quite large, with numerous vendors selling a wide selection of items, from records to clothes, toys to tools, and so much more. If you're a collector of any sort, this market will appeal to you. As the vendors generally aren't present, there's no haggling over price. Some vendors though were running sales, offering discounts on all of the items at their stall. 

We also stopped at one of the locations of Holy Donut, at 398 US Route 1, Scarborough, which produces donuts made from riced potatoes. I've enjoyed their donuts before, impressed by their texture and taste. When I saw it up ahead on the road, I knew I had to stop there for a donut. There are two locations in Portland too, so you can get your donut fix there as well. 

As it was later in the afternoon, their donut selection was smaller than it would be in the morning, but there were still plenty of good choices.

Their Donut prices.

The Toasted Coconut Donut is topped with a coconut glaze and toasted coconut. It was fresh, with a soft exterior and a bit denser and moist interior. A delicious coconut flavor, with the added crunch of the toasted coconut made this an excellent choice. 

The Holy Cannoli Ginger Glazed is topped by sweet cannoli cream, which is added after you order the donut. The donut has a ginger spiced glaze, and its texture is similar to their other donuts. Another very good choice.

The Cheese Iron, located at 200 US Route 1, Scarborough, is a cheese, wine, charcuterie, candy and speciality food shop. Lots of appealing choices here, and there's a very wide range of different cheeses available. They even sell fresh salads and sandwiches. The wine selection has some cool choices and there's lots of other intriguing foods that will entice your palate. I ended up buying a bottle of wine, an Orange Picpoul from Paso Robles, some cheeses (including a goat blue cheese), and some salted caramels. Definitely a worthy spot you should check out. 

Our final stop, before entering downtown Portland, was at Maine Vintage Toys, located at 650 Main Street (on Route 1), South Portland. It sells a variety of older toys, from action figures to Legos, Pokemon to sport cards. One of the cool items are the Lego custom mini-figures, which depict characters from television series, movies, books, and more. You'll find Sesame Street characters as well as famous wrestlers, horror creatures to Disney characters. 

To Be Continued...

The Origins of American Goulash

Is American Goulash the same as American Chop Suey? What are the origins of American Goulash?

While researching my article, The Origins of American Chop Suey, and after it was published, there were those, especially in the Midwest, who stated that the dish of American Chop Suey was known to them as American Goulash, or simply goulash. The three main basics of this dish include ground beef, macaroni and tomato sauce, with some variation of other ingredients. 

Obviously, American Goulash owes its ancestry to Hungarian Goulash, known in Hungary as gulyás, but the two dishes are very different in a number of ways, especially the modern version of American Goulash. The Hungarian version is more of a soup or stew, consisting of meat and vegetables with a variety of seasonings, including paprika. The modern versions of American Goulash are more like a casserole, and often do not include paprika.  

Most sources claim that the earliest printed recipe for American Goulash was from 1914, but my own research has uncovered recipes from as early as 1909. In addition, the early recipes for this dish are very different from the modern version, slowly evolving over time to its present form. It's also interesting to note that this dish was known all across the country, and wasn't limited to just the midwest. It might currently be thought of as more of a regional dish, but it certainly didn't begin that way. 

The first printed recipe I found for American Goulash was from California in 1909. The Morning Union (CA), January 16, 1909, printed the recipe above, and as can be seen, it called for a sirloin steak, cubed, rather than the usual ground beef. The recipe also called for carrots, rice, tomatoes, celery and optionally an onion. No paprika was included. This certainly is not like the modern version of goulash. 

I'll also note that the first recipes for American Chop Suey, which differed significantly from Chinese Chop Suey, were from 1908. One of those recipes called for ground beef, spaghetti, and a can of tomatoes, a clear ancestor to the modern versions. 

However, later in 1909, a different American Goulash recipe appeared. First appearing in the San Antonio Light (TX), June 13, 1909, the recipe also appeared in the Boston Herald (MA), July 2, 1909, Star-Gazette (NY), August 2, 1909, Evening Chronicle (NC), August 7, 1909, Cincinnati Post (OH), August 17, 1909, and the Jersey Journal (NJ), August 5, 1909. This recipe called for "beef cakes" (basically ground beef) and spaghetti, but no tomatoes or paprika. Again, this recipe doesn't reflect the modern versions of goulash. We also see that American Goulash was known throughout the country, from Texas to Massachusetts, New York to North Carolina, Ohio to New Jersey.

In 1910, the first recipe for American Chop Suey appeared which used ground beef, tomatoes and macaroni appeared. When would the first recipes of American Goulash ask for macaroni?

In Mexican Cooking: The Flavor of the 20th Century (1911), there was a recipe for American Goulash, called for cubed beef, chili powder, bacon, onions and garlic, but no pasta or tomatoes. 

The Denver Post (CO), June 19, 1913, offered another American Goulash recipe, although it called for mutton rather than beef. It also called for rice and tomatoes, as well as carrots, and optionally onions. Again, this is not a similar dish to the modern version.

As I mentioned previously, most sources claim the first printed recipe for American Goulash was in 1914, from The Woman's Educational Club Cook Book (1914) by the Women's Educational Club of Ohio. And as I've shown, this claim isn't true as there are other recipe extending back to 1909. This cookbook had two recipes, one for Goulash and one for American Goulash. The two recipes are fairly similar, although I'll note neither recipe called for pasta. The American Goulash recipe also called for paprika, as well as tabasco.

By 1914, recipes for American Chop Suey were published in Illinois, Nebraska, Indiana, New Jersey and California which all called for the use of ground beef, macaroni, and tomatoes. American Goulash recipes still hadn't called for the use of these three ingredients, so it's also clear that American Chop Suey was the ancestor to modern versions of American Goulash. 

The Omaha Daily News (NE), May 23, 1916, printed this recipe, which called for veal rather than beef, and didn't include tomatoes, rice, or pasta. 

The Boston Journal (MA), June 27, 1917, had a recipe which also didn't include tomatoes, rice, or pasta, but it did call for paprika. 

Another recipe was presented in the Rutland Daily Herald (VT), August 1, 1917, as well as the Middletown Times-Press (NY), August 1, 1917. This recipe called for both chopped pork and beef, as well as rice and spaghetti, plus strained, stemmed tomatoes (or tomato soup). 

A number of newspapers would print restaurant ads, which offered American Goulash dishes. The San Antonio Light (TX), October 6, 1917, had an ad offering American Goulash with "Paprica" for 25 cents. The Portage Daily Register (WI), November 28, 1917, noted a restaurant's Thanksgiving  menu with American Goulash as one of the dishes. The Times (LA), August 17, 1918, had a cafeteria ad with American Goulash as a lunch entree. The St. Louis Stars & Times (MO), October 17, 1918, printed a supermarket ad offering American Goulash with vegetables for 25 cents. 

The Billings Gazette (MT), November 13, 1918, noted a luncheon special of American Goulash with macaroni. This was the first reference I found mentioning macaroni in connection with American Goulash. The Billings Gazette (MN), October 23, 1920, had another restaurant ad, offering American Goulash with Spatzen. 

The Fresno Morning Republican (CA), February 25, 1920, printed a restaurant ad, with menu items including American Goulash tagliarini. The Detroit Free Press (MI), April 2, 1912, presented a restaurant ad with American Goulash for 35 cents. The Oroville Daily Register (CA), July 30, 1921, had a restaurant ad with American Goulash Canape, while their August 5, 1921 issue had a similar ad but with American Goulash with Stars and the September 14, 1921 issue had American Goulash with Home Made Noodles. 

The Kansas City Star (MO), August 25, 1921, had a brief article, with a recipe, on Hungarian goulash. This makes an interesting comparison to the American Goulash variations I've already presented.  

The Portland Evening Express (ME), February 3, 1923, presented recipes for American Goulash and American Chop Suey, which make for an excellent comparison. As you see, the Goulash recipe didn't include the use of pasta, while the Chop Suey recipe called for spaghetti or macaroni. The Goulash recipe also called for kidney beans, although that was the first use of that ingredient I'd seen in these recipes. The American Chop Suey recipe is basically like the modern version, but the Goulash recipe still hasn't reached that point in its evolution.  

The Buffalo News (NY), March 14, 1923, and the Long Beach Telegram (CA), April 20, 1923, offered another recipe, which also included the use of kidney beans. It didn't call for the use of spaghetti or macaroni, but stated you could add rice to vary the flavor. 

The San Antonio Light (TX), March 23, 1923, and Oregonian (OR), July 8, 1923, printed a different American Goulash recipe. Once again, the recipe does not call for rice, spaghetti or macaroni, or even tomatoes. 

The Evening Star (D.C.), October 22, 1924, presented another recipe for American Goulash, similar to some prior ones, which included the use of kidney beans, tomatoes, cayenne and pepper, but not the use of spaghetti or macaroni. 

A similar recipe was then presented in the Richmond Times Dispatch (VA), March 5, 1926. Still no spaghetti or macaroni.

Pasta! The Coos Bay Times (OR), June 21, 1928, published this recipe and it included the use of spaghetti and tomato soup. This is the most similar recipe to the modern version, except for the use of spaghetti rather than macaroni.  

But the use of spaghetti was far from the norm at this point. The Daily News (PA), November 21, 1928, offered this recipe, which also called for potatoes and tomato soup but no pasta. 

Again, kidney beans were called for in this recipe in La Belle Star (MO), February 1, 1929. And there was no spaghetti or macaroni.

A similar recipe was in the Brooklyn Times Union (NY), February 5, 1929, and again, no spaghetti or macaroni was used.

Another similar recipe in the Boston Globe (MA), February 8, 1930. We also see from the last few recipes that American Goulash was known in Massachusetts, New York, Missouri, Pennsylvania and Oregon. It certainly wasn't a regional dish. 

The Record (NJ), March 10, 1932, offered a slightly different recipe, which called for spaghetti. It also called for carrots, onions, and the use of Worcestershire sauce. 

Macaroni! The Democrat & Chronicle (NY), April 6, 1936, presented the first American Goulash recipe that used macaroni. This was 26 years after the first recipe for American Chop Suey used macaroni. However, this Goulash recipe didn't use tomatoes, making a creamy sauce with butter, flour and milk. This recipe was reprinted in the Abilene Daily Reporter (TX), April 17, 1936, The La Belle Star (MO), May 15, 1936, The Commercial Appeal (TN), May 29, 1936, The Missourian (MO), June 18, 1936, and The Morning Call (PA), October 16, 1936. 

The Pittsburgh Sun-Telegraph (PA), November 15, 1938, also published a recipe calling for macaroni, but also using tomatoes. This is essentially the modern version, that which is also known as American Chop Suey. 

During the 1940s, recipes for American Goulash continued the use of ground beef, tomatoes, and macaroni, although still with some variation. Some recipes still called for kidney beans, while others offered the option of rice instead of macaroni. Recipes also continued to be published all across the U.S,, including as far as Hawaii. There was no indication in any of these recipes that American Goulash was a regional dish. For unknown reasons, over time, the term "American Goulash" became much more commonly used in the Midwest, although its origins extended all across the country. 

American Chop Suey, the version with ground beef, tomato sauce and macaroni, clearly predated, by over 25 years, that of American Goulash. Goulash also appears to have followed a similar path to American Chop Suey, from first, no use of rice or pasta, to second, the use of rice, and finally, the use of pasta. However, it took Goulash much longer to make that evolution than it did American Chop Suey.