There are probably as many nicknames for Coffee as there are caffeine-addicted drinkers. But there are a few that everybody seems to understand as referring to Coffee and each has its own colourful cultural origin. Ever wondered why some folks call their morning waker-upper ‘A Cup of Joe’?
Classic Shit on a Shingle: The ‘civilian’ version is often served with
Green Peas, either mixed into the Chipped Beef or on the side.
Cup of Joe
This one has a well-documented history, and – as with so many food nicknames – that history starts with the military. In the culture where Toast is called a ‘Shingle’, and a Doughnut is a ‘Sinker’, a ‘Cup of Joe’ was coined out of a controversy and resulting discontent among the rank and file.
Josephus Daniels served as Secretary of the Navy under President Woodrow Wilson from 1913 to 1921. A southerner and a former newspaperman, Daniels was a man of high moral and ethical principles. He thought the Navy was too loose with its morals and senior officers looked the other way too often when issues such as prostitution and drunkenness raised their ugly heads. He thought the Navy needed stronger moral supervision and increased the number of Chaplains on muster. But his greatest achievement – from a food and beverage standpoint – was to ban the use of Alcohol, suggesting that Navy men choose a cup of Coffee instead of a shot or a beer.
The ‘Coffee’ edict wasn’t well received by the rank and file and they started, disdainfully, calling Coffee ‘a Cup of Joe Daniels’, soon shortened to ‘a Cup of Joe’.
The American Military is also responsible for coining the slang terms, ‘Mud’, ‘Java’ and ‘Battery Acid’ for Coffee.
Sinker
This one probably also started in the Navy, where that Cup of Joe was often accompanied by a Doughnut. Swabbies (sailors) learned to dunk their Doughnuts in their Coffee or, in slang terms, ‘sink’ them.
Shingle
Simply, a piece of toast. But in the armed forces, where the slice was often cold and hard by the time it got onto a soldier’s mess tray, this ubiquitous accompaniment to almost any meal became known as a ‘Shingle’.
Shit on a Shingle
Again, a military connection here! Up until the advent of MREs (individually packaged ‘Meals, Ready to Eat’) The troops of many nations serving in all branches of their militaries were subjected regularly to Creamed Chipped Beef on Toast. This concoction was easy to make in large batches to serve large numbers of men, and the main ingredient – canned Chipped Beef – has a long shelf life. Soldiers developed a love-hate relationship with the stuff not unlike the one they formed with SPAM, the canned Pork product which American troops almost always found in their field rations. Chipped Beef on Toast quickly was dubbed ‘Shit on a Shingle’, often shortened to ‘S.O.S.’ .
Mystery Meat
This term, still common in institutional settings where large numbers of people are fed cafeteria-style, refers to any ‘Meat’ that is not readily recognisable. Wikipedia describes ‘Mystery Meat’ as, “a disparaging term for meat products, typically ground or otherwise processed, such as burger patties, chicken nuggets, Spam, Salisbury steaks, sausages, or hot dogs, that have an unidentifiable source.” It’s claimed the term originated as a reference to ‘Bully Beef’ and SPAM, common in military rations.
Tube Steak
This universal, derogatory term for the common Hot Dog is also attributed to the military. My late father, who served in the Second World War, once told me it also applied to English Breakfast Sausages among British and Commonwealth forces. He claimed the term came about because soldiers despaired that a Hot Dog or a small, greasy Sausage was as close to a Steak as they were going to get, for the duration.
Chow
This one is a bit grizzly by modern standards, but here’s the truth: ‘Chow’ is said to have been adopted by military members who swiped it from San Francisco pidgin-Chinese back in the mid 1800s. ‘Chow’ has always meant any kind of food, or ‘a meal’. However… Dictionary.com says: “The dog breed of the same name is from 1886, of unknown origin, but some suggest a link to the Chinese tendency to see dogs as edible.”
Related: ‘Chow down’ – to eat; ‘Chow Hound’ – first in line at the mess hall.
So there you have it…
Many other common slang names for foods originated in the military. Have some fun Googling and learn more!
~ Maggie J.