Spreads are foods that are generally “spread” with a knife onto foods like bread, crackers, and other foodstuffs. In my kitchen, we’ve also become accustomed to using spreads to stuff into foods like tomatoes, cucumbers, and celery for entertaining. Nonetheless, the stated purpose for using spreads is to enhance, intensify, and ramp up the texture and flavor of foods that may be considered bland without them.

In the category of spreads are butter, spreadable creams, cheeses, prepared mayonnaise, mustard, and ketchup. Among other variations are dressings like Green Goddess, Russian Dressing, and Thousand Island to name a few. Included in the spread spectrum is honey, jams, jellies, hummus, and even yeast spreads (vegemite and marmite). Meat and fish-based spreads including pâté and even Braunschweiger (sausage) are considered spreadable condiments. And, who else has eaten the canned ham meat spread, Deviled Ham, that’s been produced by the American food company Underwood since 1870?

Now, I know we’re not to speak his name, but oddly enough the devil or rather the technique of “deviled or to devil in food preparation,” as in preparing deviled meats, has a lot to do with culinary history and spicy dishes. Like the canned deviled ham, many spreadable condiments fall into the deviled foods category. Deviled foods, (aka deviled dishes), are highly seasoned foods including hot ingredients. The culinary term is rooted back to Great Britain in 1786, referencing dishes that were highly seasoned and broiled or fried. By 1800, preparing foods in the “deviled” way or to “devil” them became a verb to describe the method of making food spicy.

Nearly 70 years ago the cooking method of deviling foods became popular in America. At that time, foods made this way were made and eaten regularly, which by the way was the height of their popularity in the United States.

During the nineteenth and into the twentieth centuries, American menus including deviled foods continued to grow especially in fish and seafood preparations and some appetizers, with deviled beef bones leading the procession. The technique became even more popular as American palates widened after Vietnam. Following that era, just about everything from fish and lamb to beef and chicken was being deviled.

In the 21^st century, we’re all probably guilty of deviling foods whether we know it or not. For instance, when was the last time you prepared deviled eggs?

But, getting back to meat, chicken, and fish spreads; the method of adding spicy and interesting flavors to compliment but not overwhelm the type of protein offers modern-day cooks a multipurpose, low-carb, high-protein choice for snacks or meals no matter how you spread them.

Still can’t get enough? Learn even more by reading Everything You Ever Wanted to Know about Deviled Ham but Were Afraid to Ask. In this article, Gena Philibert-Ortega searches old newspapers to discover and learn about deviled ham and other deviled foods, including recipes. Gena is a genealogist and author of the book “From the Family Kitchen.”