subject: San Francisco's Hangtown Fry by:Maria Alvarez [print this page] San Francisco has more restaurants per capita than any other city in the country, making it a veritable chowhound's delight. There are plenty of things that San Francisco is famous for in the culinary world, notably the Dungeness Crabs, sourdough bread, and the martini. This makes it a particularly suitable place to come with the expectation to be dazzled in the taste buds, and those expectations are very well-warranted.
One dish that many visitors may not consider right off the top of their heads is a combination of eggs, oysters, and bacon. Known as the Hangtown Fry, it has some popularity here, although not everyone is brave enough, or curious, to try it. It is available in some restaurants in town, although truth be told, its origins might be more appealing as the actual taste. There's really nothing like it, however, and for those who like to try everything once, this is the perfect thing.
It's interestingly known as a local dish, even though its origins are 100 miles away. Now the town is called Placerville, and during the Gold Rush days it was known as Hangtown. Hangtown got its name from an expected occasion when three men were hanged here from the same oak tree.
The legend of the Hangtown Fry comes in many different forms, and from many different sources, but the basic set up of the story is the same. An old miner came in to a tavern with a rich supply of new-found gold in his coffers, announcing that he was rich, and also very hungry. He said he'd been eating nothing but beans from a can for weeks, and was ready to buy the most expensive thing on the menu.
The chef came out from the back and talked to him, explaining that he could have eggs. Eggs have to be very carefully shipped so they don't break. Or he could have bacon, because that comes all the way from the east, and it's a delicacy here in California. Or, he could have breaded oysters, because they have to be packed cold and shipped from San Francisco.
The miner said he was rich enough and hungry enough to have it all, and asked the chef to throw it all together, and the Hangtown Fry was born. This is the kind of food that legends are made on, and there's more than this to sample in San Francisco.
Maria Left behind a career in banking to follow her passion as a writer and photojournalist. Her passions for travel, exploring culture, food, and music are constantly giving her new ideas for articles and photo essays.
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