The Hangtown Fry

hangtown fry

At the Wandering Goose, Seattle.

The origins of this dish go back to the California Gold Rush. Placerville, a town in the Sierra foothills, was also known as Hangtown. A gentleman, flush with gold, came in to a restaurant and allegedly said, “Give me the most expensive thing you have!”

The result was this: Oysters, pork belly, soft-boiled eggs, all on top of a bed of potatoes. At the time, it was the eggs that were regarded as the true extravagance.