DCHP-3

bangbelly

DCHP-2 (Oct 2016)

Spelling variants:
bang-belly

n. Newfoundland, Food

a pudding, cake, or pancake.

Type: 1. Origin Bangbelly is a dish from Newfoundland, where the term is most frequently used (see Chart 1). Historically, bangbelly was prepared outdoors by fishermen and woodsmen by frying a mixture of flour, molasses and pork or seal fat; many different recipes exist. Today, bangbelly is a dessert made from sweeter ingredients, including berries and sugar that are boiled with dough (see also Casselman 1998: 16-17).
See also COD-2, s.v. "bangbelly", which is marked "Cdn (Nfld)", DNE, s.v. "bangbelly".
See: touton

Quotations

1954
As Mac had been away from Newfoundland for a long time, I trotted out for his benefit all the old expressions and words I could think of and it was good to see his eyes bright with recognition at such words as "crosshackle," bangbelly, piece o'work, hang-ashore, etc.
1962
For example, under "slang" is merely a list of few localisms, like "bangbelly" (bread and molasses pudding)", and "national dishes" seem to be drenched in maple syrup.
1980
Bride would have to be feeling especially rambunctious to cook bang-belly. It took a lot of psychic energy and physical strength to attempt it all. On dark, sleeting mornings, she'd send me to the store to buy salt pork, gritty flour, raisins and "spice," which came in brown bags, enough for one concoction.
1982
Any well-versed Newfoundlander will tell you that on an airsome day when it comes duckish and you're baffed out, there's nothing like going home, gathering breastneys for a fire and sitting down to a scoff, maybe with some good bangbelly.
2007
Bangbelly "It's is a Newfoundland word. It's a dessert made from cooked rice, flour, molasses, raisins, salt pork and spices. It's a rather dense one, which is how it gets its name."
2014
For the next week and a half, I’ll be travelling around Newfoundland, taking photos and (hopefully) cooking out of my newly acquired cookbook, Newfoundland Recipes: The Sixteenth Edition (highlights include baked goods by the names of Bangbelly and Figgy Duff, mixed in amongst the moose and caribou dishes).

References

  • DNE
  • COD-2
  • Casselman (1998)

Images


        Chart 1: Internet Domain Search, 11 Sep. 2013

Chart 1: Internet Domain Search, 11 Sep. 2013