Tartar Sauce

[redhed]

How did tartar sauce get its name?

[Quizmonster]

The Tartars or Tatars were people of central Asia - basically the hordes of Genghis Khan - later associated with the Turks etc. The French phrase, sauce tartare - a sort of mayonnaise with chopped pickles, olives, capers etc usually served with fish took its name from them, presumably because they were 'into' such spicy dishes.

[Gef]

Have a look at http://www.straightdope.com/mailbag/mtartar.html
I've also heard that the Tartars used to stick their steak on the horse's back and sit on it all day in order to tenderise it.