Green’s Dictionary of Slang

Peoria n.2

also Peoria water, Peory water
[mispron. of Fr. (soupe) purée + derog. ref. to the city of Peoria; note Irwin, American Tramp and Und. Slang (1931): ‘perhaps so called from a similar article of food served in the Illinois State Prison at the city of the same name, perhaps from the fact that much of the State provides poor pickings for tramps who must get along as best they can on scant rations’]

(US tramp) a thin, meagre soup; also a ‘mess’ of potatoes, boiled then fried.

Show quotations
[US]N. Klein ‘Hobo Lingo’ in AS I:12 652: Peoria—potato water with a little salt, and when available, grease of any kind.
[US]Ersine Und. and Prison Sl. 56: Peoria water, Peory water. Soup made of potato water, onions, and seasoning.
[US]Charleston (WV) Daily Mail 27 June 8/8: ‘Peoria’ is the word for a mess of potatoes, first boiled, then fried.
[US]Mencken Amer. Lang. (4th edn) 582: Soup is shackles or Peoria.
S. Alert Dict. of Old Hobo Sl. 🌐 Peoria – thin soup, generally potato water with salt.