Frim Fram Sauce Recipe

Frim Fram Sauce

As I stated in my Frim Fram Recipes page, It's used to top ussenfay and goes well with shafafa on the side. Now all that is fine and dandy, but that doesn't answer the question of Frim Fram sauce but it does add the further questions of ussenfay and shafafa.

Well to tell the truth, this all comes from a song written by Redd Evans and Joe Ricardel in 1945 called The Frim Fram Sauce. It was first recorded and made popular by The King Cole Trio including Nat King Cole in October of 1945. It was later recorded by Ella Fitzgerald and Louis Armstrong in 1946 and alone with Ella Fitzgerald 1957. Many others have recorded the song. Diana Krall released it on two different albums: Stepping Out (1993) and All for You: A Dedication to the Nat King Cole Trio (1996).

That's all a fine, but what does it have to do with recipes if this all refers to a song and why use it here?

OK, here's my best guesses:

Frim Fram is a variant of flim-flam (or deceit) with an additional meaning of "insignificant stuff" or "nonsense". Or as I might say "This and That".

Ussenfay is pig Latin for Fussen which means "playing about fretfully".

Shafafa - Diana Krall was asked in an interview what was the meaning of Shafafa? "It's all about sex," she replied innocently.

Now the full lyrics are at the bottom of this page, but the important part for us here is:

I want the frim fram sauce with oss-en-fay
With sha fafa on the side

So:

I want some of the this and that with playing about fretfully
and a little nookie on the side.

You see, I'm allowed to name my Recipes Page as a little bit of This and That and like any recipe there is a bit of Playing About Fretfully or 'fussing' with the recipe.

As for the Shafafa, well a little bit of nookie is always good, but you'll have to deal with that yourself - On The Side! Does that mean during or after the meal? I'll leave that up to you too!

I mentioned earlier that if you search for 'frim fram sauce recipes' you will actually get some food recipes that people have made up. However, I submit: They are all bogus! Just made up for the Internet.

Return to my Frim Fram Recipe Page.

The Frim Fram Sauce Lyrics

I don't want french fried potatoes, red ripe tomatoes
I'm never satisfied
I want the frim fram sauce with oss-en-fay
With sha fafa on the side

I don't want pork chops and bacon
That won't awaken, my appetite inside
I want the frim fram sauce with oss-en-fay
With sha fafa on the side

Well you know a girl
She really got to eat
And a girl she should eat right
Five will get you ten
I'm going to feed myself right tonight

I don't want fish cakes and rye bread
You heard what I said
Waiter please, I want mine fried
I want the frim fram sauce with oss-en-fay
With sha fafa on the side

I don't want french fried potatoes, red ripe tomatoes
I'm never satisfied
I want the frim fram sauce with oss-en-fay
With sha fafa on the side

I don't want pork chops and bacon
That won't awaken, my appetite inside
I want the frim fram sauce with oss-en-fay
With sha fafa on the side

Now you know girls
We really got to eat
And you know we should eat right
Five will get you ten
I'm gonna feed myself right tonight

I don't want fish cakes and rye bread
You heard what I said
Waiter please, I want mine fried
I want the frim fram sauce with oss-en-fay
With sha fafa on the side
Ooh, with shifafa, uh, on the side

Now if you don't have it, Just bring me the check for the water