Ambrosia is an American variety of fruit salad originating in the Southern United States.[1] Most ambrosia recipes contain canned (often sweetened) or fresh pineapple, canned mandarin orange slices or fresh orange sections, miniature marshmallows,[2] and coconut.[3] Other ingredients might include various fruits and nuts: maraschino cherries, bananas, strawberries,[4] peeled grapes, or crushed pecans. Ambrosia can also include mayonnaise or dairy ingredients: whipped cream (or whipped topping), sour cream, cream cheese, pudding, yogurt, or cottage cheese.
 An ambrosia salad prepared for a potluck, topped with canned mandarin orange slices, maraschino cherries, and a canned pineapple ring | |
| Alternative names | 5 cup salad |
|---|---|
| Place of origin | United States |
| Region or state | Southern United States |
| Main ingredients | Pineapple, mandarin oranges, marshmallows, and coconut |
The mixture of ingredients is refrigerated for a few hours or overnight before serving to allow the flavors to meld.
In New Zealand, ambrosia refers to a similar dish made with whipped cream, yoghurt, fresh, canned or frozen berries, and chocolate chips or marshmallows loosely combined into a pudding.
The earliest known mention of the salad is in the 1867 cookbook Dixie Cookery by Maria Massey Barringer.[1][5] The name references the food of the Greek gods.[6]
See also
editReferences
edit- ^ a b Barringer, Maria Massey (1867). Dixie cookery; or, How I managed my table for twelve years. A practical cook-book for southern housekeepers. The Library of Congress via Open Library. Boston, Loring. p. 62.
- ^ Teal, Kimberley. "Ambrosia Fruit Salad". Allrecipes.com. Retrieved December 25, 2013.
- ^ "ambrosia". Dictionary.com. Retrieved December 25, 2013.
- ^ Lagasse, Emeril (2000). "Kicked Up Ambrosia Salad Parfaits". Food Network. Archived from the original on December 26, 2013. Retrieved December 25, 2013.
- ^ McNeilly, Claudia (November 6, 2018). "Why ambrosia salad is the forgotten holiday dish that deserves our attention". nationalpost.com. Retrieved January 12, 2023.
- ^ Griffiths, Alan H. (1996), "Ambrosia", in Hornblower, Simon; Spawforth, Anthony, Oxford Classical Dictionary (3rd ed.), Oxford: Oxford University Press, ISBN 0-19-521693-8
External links
editCookbook:Ambrosia Fruit Salad at Wikibooks
- Olver, Lynne (December 16, 2013). "Food Timeline FAQs: algae to creamed onions". The Food Timeline. Retrieved December 25, 2013.