Light Meat or Dark Meat

[Guest]

It is commonly told that the origin of the terms "light-meat", "dark-meat", and "drumstick" were taken from Victorian era Prudishness about calling anything a "breast", "thigh", or "leg".  I've searched for a while for a reputable source rather than simply repeating an urban legend.  I finally found one today.

The Henry Holt Encyclopedia of Word and Phrase Origins by Robert Hendrickson

That said, I still don't believe it.  I believe Mr. Robert Hendrickson's got some 'splainin' to do.  My main reason is that it is almost impossible to look at Victorian publications without seeing these words.  How often can you go through a day without saying "leg"?  When one actually needed to refer to someone's leg, did they say "drumstick"?  Of course not. 

Recently I've been reading Tale of Two Cities.  I don't know if you can find a more popular author than Dickens during that era.  Yet, I'll tell you what!  How many mentions of the word "breast" are in that book!  And it even gives some statements that it is pretty clear he's talking about it sexually, rather than a generic term for the chest area (as is also used throughout the book).

From America we have Mark Twain and his library of works.  I don't know what else he would say than the word "leg" in so many instances. I don't believe the population was as puritanical as we assume.

Anyone else have any authoritative study that says so?  I think it is simpler to believe that they called it light meat or dark meat because when it was placed on the table, not much was distinguishable as to what part of the chicken the meat came from.  So, it was easier to refer to the meat by it's color.  And the "drumstick" was so referred to for obvious reasons.

Edited July 27, 2017 by Guest