Dream of the Rarebit Fiend He addressed religious leaders, alcoholism, homelessness, political speeches, suicide, fashion, and other topics, whereas his other strips were fantasy or had seemingly vague, timeless backgrounds. The strip referenced contemporary events such as the 1904 election of Theodore Roosevelt; the recently built Flatiron Building (1902) and St. Regis Hotel (1904) in New York City; and the Russo-Japanese War of 1904–05. The rarebit is a dish typically made with rich cheese thinned with ale and served melted on toast with cayenne and mustard mixed in. McCay used it despite its innocuousness—cultural theorist Scott Bukatman states rarebit was not the sort of dish
Scotch woodcock sweet desserts or cheeseboard. It was a well-known dish in the Victorian era, and is mentioned in Mrs Beeton's Book of Household Management. The name is modeled on Welsh rarebit. "" is a synonym for Scottish, although now often considered distasteful within Scotland itself. Scotch woodcock Scotch woodcock is a British savoury dish consisting of creamy, lightly-scrambled eggs served on toast that has been spread with anchovy paste or Gentleman's Relish, and sometimes topped with chopped herbs and black pepper. It is most often served as an hors d'oeuvre. Scotch woodcock was served in the refreshment rooms of the House