Poverty Croquettes

Croquettes first appeared on English dinner tables in the 18th century. In the mid-1800s, Americans knew croquet as a lawn game. The food version didn’t become widely popular in the States until the late 1870s, twenty years after recipes for croquettes  began to be published. Not unlike pie, croquettes were a thrifty way to use leftovers and extend one’s meals. When croquettes gained popularity, the most common types were chicken and sweetbreads for main dishes, and potato for breakfast.