DYK: Did you know?
Chew the Fat -Today this means to have a long friendly conversation with someone.
This idiom has several possible sources as listed below. It is not clear which one is accurate.
- Sailors, while of resting and conversing would chew on salt-hardened fat.
- It has been speculated that the phrase may come from women chatting while sewing.
- It has even been suggested that the phrase is derived from a practice by North American Indians of chewing animal hides during their spare time.
One source that recently circulated on the web was:
When company came over, in the 1500’s they would bring out some bacon and hang it to show it off. It was a sign of wealth and that a man “could really bring home the bacon.” They would cut off a little to share with guests and would all sit around and “chew the fat.
This source has largely been considered false.
VINEGAR OF THE FOUR THIEVES: Recipes & curious tips from the past
See historical books by Donna R. Causey
