I grew up eating Weenie Royale but never knew its history. It was a breakfast treat on weekends, much like pancakes and bacon in other American households. It wasn't until high school did I realize the obscurity of the meal. I mean, didn't all people eat hot dogs, fried eggs, rice, and soy sauce for breakfast? I once made it for a then boyfriend who scoffed, ate it, and said that it was the weirdest thing but really liked it.
Duh. Don't we all?
Weenie Royale comes from the years during World War II when all people of Japanese decent were sent away to live in what President Roosevelt called the, "American concentration camps." Men, women, and children lived in barracks, used latrines without walls or doors, and ate in mess halls. Because hot dogs, ketchup, and eggs were cheap, that's what the government served them almost everyday.
It's a sad story and for many it didn't have a happy ending. In fact, few survivors like to talk about it. But for some reason, after World War II ended and the evacuees moved back home, Weenie Royale became a staple in Japanese American households. It's strange how the tradition of food not only outlives people but also memories.
Today Weenie Royale comes in different forms. I like mine with steak but yesterday I decided to use the leftover hamburger patties Mr. Branflake made on Tuesday. I fried some eggs, made some brown rice, and drizzled a just a little soy sauce on top.
It's strange to think that my grandparents ate Weenie Royale in those camps while for me it is the ultimate comfort food. Yet I am grateful for that link, although small, that I continue to have with them.
If you have any stories about the Japanese Internment please let me know.
Those stories are becoming few and far between.
NPR did an interesting story about Weenie Royale.
In fact, this was where I first heard that my favorite weekend meal had a name.
photos by Dancing Branflake
23 comments:
This is actually the first time that I am hearing about Weenie Royale; and I've got to admit...I'm intrigued. Sometimes it is the smallest things that link us to our heritage - and that's what makes them all the more special. :)
I have never heard of Weenie Royale or any real stories from the Japanese interenment. That's very interesting. I remember one day my grandmother got so upset that the gallon of milk went bad. She said, "You have no idea how precious things are, it's truly a shame to throw it out." I didn't realize at the time that she lived through the Great Depression. After that, I try to never by more perishable items than needed. =)
This is so interesting. Wow, your Grandparents were actually there? I think a lot of our favorite comfort foods go back to our childhoods. I hope that the stories about the Japenese Internment don't get lost because it's important to remember. xoxo
I was a social studies secondary ed. major for awhile and learned quite a bit about this time in history during one of my classes. I haven't heard about this food before but it's really interesting to think about what it means to your grandparents vs. what it means to you.
Thanks for sharing! After our Twitter convo yesterday I couldn't wait to see what you planned to write about. I'm glad you chose this.
That's really fascinating, all of the Italians here were rounded up, lots of my mums friends were packed off.
What an interesting dish, I'm sure I'd love it but I need starchy carbs for brekkers.
Weenie Royale is something that is new to me but it sure sounds as if it has a great significance to your family history.
rolala loves
What an interesting story, I never knew that what it was called, Weenie Royale. There are many traditions in my family that I used to not understand, but now love because of knowing the reason they do it. Also reminds me of home and family. Thanks for sharing this history.
Wow. What a history behind it. It is truly fascinating how food traditions came to be. You're right it didn't start in a good place...but it seems like its been going through good ones. Yum.
Wow this is such an interesting story. I had never heard of Weenie Royale. I have heard stories about the Japansese Internment before and I always found it so heartbreaking and also so ironic that this happened here while we were in a war to fight against something so similar.
I hadn't learned about the Japanese Internment camps until college. Late college. It was shocking. Kind of like when I realized that Columbus may not have been all that great. It makes me sad that we don't teach our youth about our history. I also can't help but see it as extremely disconcerning that it is shoved under the rug (for lots of reasons, but particularly this reason) when there are still so many people today who have been impacted by it. It is a dark time in our country's history.
actually first heard about those those camps through a movie as I can remember .. War times are always the most terrible times and we in this generation and living in somewhat safe countries cannot even come close to believe how it might have been. So it is very important to learn, teach our children to remember those who have still survived and fallen! xo
When I was a young girl my best friends family were survivors of that terrible and shameful time in American history. Both her father and mother had been in internment camps as young children. They were able to re-claim the land and farm taken from their families. This is where my friend's father had built a beautiful house for his family. I loved visiting their home and had many sleepovers there and always awoke on Saturday morning to a version of this yummy meal. I must make it this weekend for my family and have a little history lesson while we gobble up our Weenie Royale. xx's!!
That is such an interesting story to the dish, and one that is worth knowing about.
Sounds delicious. I love anything with rice and fried eggs.
x
This was very interesting, the dish, the history, & how it has evolved. Really very interesting!
I recently posted about the artist Ruth Asawa on my blog & was very moved by her experience in the interment camps.
http://sallytharperowlesbetweenherethere.blogspot.com/2012/01/ruth-asawa.html
we went camping on angel island a couple years ago where many people of all sorts of asian countries were interned at that time. have you been there? it's now a museum and you can learn a lot about the history, as well as walk the paths they did. it was strange to think about such a beautiful spot being so sad.
Oh, I didn't know about the existence of these camps at all - what a wonderful idea of you to remind us of this past, Tiffany.
Thank you for sharing something so personal. Some things in American history are so upsetting to me, so so upsetting. I don't have any stories or connections to that specific piece of history other than what I learned in school... doesn't mean my heart doesn't break about it.
xoxo J
John and I was just talking about the Japanese Internment–what an incredible light you shone on the history and its lingering roots. I'm so glad you shared this today–it's a heartbreaking, true post.
Iow about those camps but never how that food dish. Thanks for sharing dear, I love your thought about how a food that was put together for survival was now a comfort. It does actually sounds good!
I've never even heard of this before. I love what you said about how it's a comfort food for you.
ps. anything that involves eggs and carbs is a plus in my book.
a first for me as well. what a meaningful and tasty link :)
this is the first time i have heard of weenie royale! i will have to try it, despite the horrifying name! lol
my mom just turned 70, and my sister did a little research on the year she was born. i was reading over all of it (FASCINATING -- i know next to nothing in the history department) -- and one of the most interesting parts was about a japanese man that fought the u.s. government (all the way to the supreme court) about the internment camps. he was a true hero. his name was Fred Korematsu. if you don't know about him, you should read up on him.
Thanks for sharing your connection to your grandparents. It's a tragedy hearing about what many Japanese went through during WWII, as well as the many other times leaders in our country have made mistakes when it comes to the most valuable part of America - it's people.
Although I don't have any relatives who were in internment camps, my grandma was a teenager in Okinawa during WWII and has some fascinating and tragic stories of her own. She doesn't like to talk about it much, but we are trying to make sure her stories don't get lost.
Post a Comment