The message
from Sacha contains these words:
On 16/8/08 16:12, in article ,
"AriesVal" wrote:

On Sat, 16 Aug 2008 16:07:33 +0100, Sacha wrote:

Oh for some sunshine.......... ;-(

Yes please!

Snap the fingers! There you are!! Oh - whoops, failed again. ;-(

Well, *WE'VE* had sun on-and-off all day here.

Come to sunny Norfolk!

--
Rusty
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The message
from David Rance contains these words:

They do distinguish between groseille rouge, groseille blanche and
groseille à maquereau (gooseberry).

Something fishy about that. Mackerel berry?

--
Rusty
Direct reply to: horrid dot squeak snailything zetnet point co period uk
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In message , Nick Maclaren
writes

In article ,
Gordon H writes:
|
| I found this re damsons. To me plums aren't as deep a colour as this:
| http://tinyurl.com/5flbcm
|
| They are similar, but not easy to tell, I should maybe get a leaf off
| the tree?

See if the leaves and growth look plum-like. I am still puzzled
about what way it doesn't taste like a plum.
Regards,
Nick Maclaren.

I don't like to tell you it was some years ago I ate part of one. :-(
Not a juicy as the plums that a friend grew in her garden.
--
Gordon H

On 16/8/08 18:36, in article ,
"David Rance" wrote:

On 16th August Nick Maclaren wrote:

David Rance writes:
|
| So the damson is known here but the French appear to refer to it simply
| as a variety of plum. Having looked it up in Collins-Robert it is
| slightly more helpful, calling it a "prune de damas" (a Damascus plum -
| damson would appear to be a corruption of this).

Well, it IS just a variety of plum! And, yes, that's its origin.

Quite! So is the greengage which the French call Reine Claude!

Was there a Queen Claude?

The French terms that I find a a bit odd are where the same word
is used for two items that are used very differently - groseille
being an example.

They do distinguish between groseille rouge, groseille blanche and
groseille à maquereau (gooseberry).

Interesting that it's defined by the mackerel it accompanies in classic
dishes!

snip
--
Sacha
http://www.hillhousenursery.com
South Devon

On 16/8/08 21:53, in article ,
"Martin" wrote:

On Sat, 16 Aug 2008 18:41:43 +0100, Sacha wrote:

On 16/8/08 16:12, in article ,
"AriesVal" wrote:

On Sat, 16 Aug 2008 16:07:33 +0100, Sacha wrote:

Oh for some sunshine.......... ;-(

Yes please!

Snap the fingers! There you are!! Oh - whoops, failed again. ;-(

Did you cause the eclipse of the moon?

Er - not me sir.

--
Sacha
http://www.hillhousenursery.com
South Devon

On 16/8/08 21:55, in article ,
"Rusty Hinge 2" wrote:

The message
from (Nick Maclaren) contains these words:
In article ,
David Rance writes:
|
| So the damson is known here but the French appear to refer to it simply
| as a variety of plum. Having looked it up in Collins-Robert it is
| slightly more helpful, calling it a "prune de damas" (a Damascus plum -
| damson would appear to be a corruption of this).

Well, it IS just a variety of plum! And, yes, that's its origin.
The French terms that I find a a bit odd are where the same word
is used for two items that are used very differently - groseille
being an example.

And English (to include USanian) is little better, if at all: think 'muffin'?

I've only every known groseille as gooseberry so David's post is very
enlightening. But most of my 'French leave' has been in Normandy and
Brittany which might explains that perhaps.
--
Sacha
http://www.hillhousenursery.com
South Devon

The message
from Sacha contains these words:

And English (to include USanian) is little better, if at all: think
'muffin'?

I've only every known groseille as gooseberry so David's post is very
enlightening. But most of my 'French leave' has been in Normandy and
Brittany which might explains that perhaps.

Well, we always called goosegogs 'belly-achers' as kids...

--
Rusty
Direct reply to: horrid dot squeak snailything zetnet point co period uk
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On Sat, 16 Aug 2008, Rusty Hinge 2 wrote:

They do distinguish between groseille rouge, groseille blanche and
groseille à maquereau (gooseberry).

Something fishy about that. Mackerel berry?

Maquereau is also a colloquial word for a pimp!

David

--
David Rance
writing from Le Mesnil Villement, Calvados, France

On Sat, 16 Aug 2008, Sacha wrote:

"David Rance" wrote:

On 16th August Nick Maclaren wrote:

David Rance writes:

| So the damson is known here but the French appear to refer to it simply
| as a variety of plum. Having looked it up in Collins-Robert it is
| slightly more helpful, calling it a "prune de damas" (a Damascus plum -
| damson would appear to be a corruption of this).

Well, it IS just a variety of plum! And, yes, that's its origin.

Quite! So is the greengage which the French call Reine Claude!

Was there a Queen Claude?

Claude de France - first wife of François 1st and daughter of Louis 12th
and Anne of Brittany

The French terms that I find a a bit odd are where the same word
is used for two items that are used very differently - groseille
being an example.

They do distinguish between groseille rouge, groseille blanche and
groseille à maquereau (gooseberry).

Interesting that it's defined by the mackerel it accompanies in classic
dishes!

Hmm, I'll have to try that. I love mackerel and have just bought a
gooseberry bush.

David

--
David Rance
writing from Le Mesnil Villement, Calvados, France

On 17/8/08 07:44, in article ,
"David Rance" wrote:

On Sat, 16 Aug 2008, Rusty Hinge 2 wrote:

They do distinguish between groseille rouge, groseille blanche and
groseille à maquereau (gooseberry).

Something fishy about that. Mackerel berry?

Maquereau is also a colloquial word for a pimp!

David

What an exciting life you lead - ordering in a restaurant must be very
hazardous! ;-)

--
Sacha
http://www.hillhousenursery.com
South Devon

On 17/8/08 07:54, in article ,
"David Rance" wrote:

On Sat, 16 Aug 2008, Sacha wrote:

"David Rance" wrote:

On 16th August Nick Maclaren wrote:

David Rance writes:

| So the damson is known here but the French appear to refer to it simply
| as a variety of plum. Having looked it up in Collins-Robert it is
| slightly more helpful, calling it a "prune de damas" (a Damascus plum -
| damson would appear to be a corruption of this).

Well, it IS just a variety of plum! And, yes, that's its origin.

Quite! So is the greengage which the French call Reine Claude!

Was there a Queen Claude?

Claude de France - first wife of François 1st and daughter of Louis 12th
and Anne of Brittany

Ah, thank you. That explains it - I've always wondered why the fruit was
called that!

The French terms that I find a a bit odd are where the same word
is used for two items that are used very differently - groseille
being an example.

They do distinguish between groseille rouge, groseille blanche and
groseille à maquereau (gooseberry).

Interesting that it's defined by the mackerel it accompanies in classic
dishes!

Hmm, I'll have to try that. I love mackerel and have just bought a
gooseberry bush.

David

I shall resist all jokes about what you find under it!
--
Sacha
http://www.hillhousenursery.com
South Devon

In article ,
Rusty Hinge 2 writes:
|
| Well, it IS just a variety of plum! And, yes, that's its origin.
| The French terms that I find a a bit odd are where the same word
| is used for two items that are used very differently - groseille
| being an example.
|
| And English (to include USanian) is little better, if at all: think 'muffin'?

Indeed, but it is relatively rare for a single dialect not to distinguish
two things that are (a) both commonly used and (b) where there is a
significant possibility of confusion. Muffin is unambiguous, once you
know which side of the pond you are.

But I have read French recipes which use unadorned groseille, where
any groseille could be used, but where the results would taste very
different. I am pretty sure that they meant gooseberry, there.


Regards,
Nick Maclaren.

In article ,
Gordon H writes:
|
| I don't like to tell you it was some years ago I ate part of one. :-(
| Not a juicy as the plums that a friend grew in her garden.

Almost certainly a damson or bullace then. Generally stronger flavoured,
more sour and less juicy.


Regards,
Nick Maclaren.

In article ,
David Rance writes:
|
| They do distinguish between groseille rouge, groseille blanche and
| groseille à maquereau (gooseberry).
|
| Interesting that it's defined by the mackerel it accompanies in classic
| dishes!
|
| Hmm, I'll have to try that. I love mackerel and have just bought a
| gooseberry bush.

They need to be unripe. Sorrel also goes very well, as do barberries.
Curiously, I haven't tried japonica - I must. Basically, sour sauces.
And the other classics are mustard and horseradish.


Regards,
Nick Maclaren.

In article ,
Sacha writes:
| On 17/8/08 07:44, in article ,
| "David Rance" wrote:
|
| Maquereau is also a colloquial word for a pimp!
|
| What an exciting life you lead - ordering in a restaurant must be very
| hazardous! ;-)

Such as in the franglais: moi, maquereau - et ma femme, poule?


Regards,
Nick Maclaren.