The Hirshon Turkey Tetrazzini

Those of you who remember a tired casserole of questionable provenance and insipid countenance forget that THIS is a TFD RECIPE. 🙂

You may not be aware that this dish is named after a famous Italian opera star of the early 20th century, Luisa Tetrazzini.

It is widely believed to have been invented ca. 1908–1910 by Ernest Arbogast, the chef at the Palace Hotel in San Francisco, California, where Tetrazzini was a long-time resident. However, other sources attribute the origin to the Knickerbocker Hotel in New York City.

Good Housekeeping published the first reference to Turkey Tetrazzini in October, 1908, saying readers could find the dish of cooked turkey in a cream sauce, with spaghetti, grated cheese, sliced mushrooms, and bread crumbs on top, at “the restaurant on Forty-second street.”

The chicken tetrazzini was made famous by chef Louis Paquet.

No universal standard for the dish exists, so various parts are missing or substituted in various recipes, for example, another kind of nut, crumbs, or different cheeses. The name is often expanded to describe the specific meat used (e.g., chicken tetrazzini, or tuna tetrazzini).

I’ve gone back to the beginning of this recipe that once epitomized richness and high society in its day.

Plus, I’m using top-quality ingredients and adding a few TFD flourishes such as the use of a bit of thyme liqueur (totally optional) and adding in some minced jalapeño for some added kick.

Enjoy this diner classic with noble San Francisco roots, Citizens!

Battle on – The Generalissimo

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