The noun “gallimaufry” has made a boomerang in its path from origin to current usage. It originated in 16th-century archaic French as a mashup of “galer,” meaning “have fun” in Old French, and “mafrer,” which means “to eat copious quantities” in Picard, a Romance language closely associated with French. “Galimafrée” in archaic French meant an “unappetizing dish,” but by the time the word “gallimaufry” was adopted into English, it had broadened to apply to any jumble or mishmash of items or concepts. More recently, in the United States, it has earned new life in the kitchen as a dish made of minced or ground meat, served as a hash or ragout. Home cooks will often use up leftover ingredients as part of a tasty gallimaufry.