EL Diner question

The later EL Dining car menus have some interesting entrees on them. One of which is "Sizzling Welsh Rarebit."

Now, Welsh Rarebit (sometimes called Welsh Rabbit) is toast covered with a cheese sauce that contains either cream or beer (NOT for those on a cholesterol-free diet!).

Does anyone have any idea what the EL guys did to make it "sizzling?"

Are any of those recepies extant?

Wow, I remember that dish. What a recall of a nuance memory.

As far as a dining car item, it was perfect because it only required a small pot that could be kept warm on the stove. Very little space and minimal prep. Add a piece of bread and some garnish and there you are.

As to the sizzling, a restaurant trick is to put a little bit of hot beef fat in the dish, place the food item on it, then sprinkle a little water. The water and hot fat cause the sizzling. I bet that is how they did it. Mexican restaurants do it with fajita dishes as do most steak houses.

What I wouldn't give for a time machine experience for about two weeks back in say 1955-58 with several hundred dollars for fares and dining car experiences. I was only a teenager then with no money. But, today I daydream itineraries a lot.

That makes sense. If you aren't selling steak, might as well sell Welsh Rarebit with sizzle.

Thanks for the tip. I'll TRY it sometime. (Get it??? Tried. Beef fat??) Little cooking pun.


Yes there were many interesting entrees served in the dining cars. Somewhere I saw a 50s C&EI menu. They had TWO kinds of wine...white and claret!

OOOh.