To the French, a salmigondis is an elaborate dish made by mincing, shredding, and slicing a variety of meats, vegetables, and pickles and then arranging them in concentric circles of contrasting colours on a large, flat plate. To the English, a salmagundi, which derives from the French salmigondis, is often an ad hoc hodgepodge of whatever odds and ends are left over in the refrigerator—a dog’s breakfast, so to speak, for humans. Although it is tempting to see the difference between the French and English meanings of the word as a kind of cultural allegory, more intriguing is the ambiguity around the origin of the word, which appeared in French in the sixteenth century in a work by Francois Rabelais. Some scholars have suggested that Rabelais, a satirist, simply invented the word salmigondis, as he did with over five hundred words now part of the French language. If so, Rabelais might still have had in the back of his mind the Late Latin salimuria, meaning sea-salt, the connection being that the dish often contains salty pickles and salted meat. Others have suggested that salmigondis derives from the French phrase selon man gout, meaning according to my taste and alluding to how the ingredients in the dish varied according to who made it. It has even been suggested that the dish takes its name from a Madame Salmigondis, an attendant of Marie de Medici, the wife of France’s King Henri IV; if so, it is still unclear why she had the honour of giving her name to a plate of pickles and salted meat. More likely than any of these explanations, however, is that the French salmigondis, and therefore the English salmagundi, derives from the Italian phrase salame conditi. The salame part of this phrase simply means salami, an Italian meat name that comes from the Latin word for salt. The conditi part of this phrase means preserved, coming from a Latin word that also gives English condiment. Accordingly, salame conditi literally means preserved salted meat, and with changes in pronunciation and the addition of a few more ingredients, the phrase and dish became salmagundi.
The term “salmagundi” originated in France and was derived from “salmigondis” or “salmis”, meaning hash. It used to refer to an elaborate mixture of chopped meat, eggs, anchovies, and seasonings. In an old English recipe, it was made with a mixture of diced fresh and salted meat, hard-boiled eggs, pickled vegetables, and served on a bed of salad greens. Nowadays, the term is used to refer to any type of mixture or salad, such as a melon ball salad.
Transporting us back to the 18th century, we encounter a captivating supper dish from old English culinary lore. This remarkable creation, known as a “supper dish,” harmoniously combines elements of meat, salad, eggs, anchovy, pickles, and beets. Each component is expertly diced and meticulously arranged to form an exquisite pattern, showcasing the artistry of the presentation. To elevate the experience further, this masterpiece is elegantly served atop a bed of fresh greens, adding a touch of verdant charm to the gastronomic tableau.