Isn't there a fungus known as (very politically incorrectly) "Jews'
ears"? I
remember eating some when I was young after a mushroom hunt in
Cwmbran,
Gwent . . .

If I may refer to Belgian chocolates, or Boerewors, why may I not
refer to Jews'
ears?

Well I suppose it would be OK if they really WERE Jews' ears! Having seen
the shape and general look of the fungus, I'm not sure how I would feel if
it were called "Welshman's ears" . . . ! But then, as the man said,
political correctness does have a tendency to kill off plain discussion.

But more to the point, I always look out for them whenever I pass an
old elder copse.

Being a town-dweller, it's very rare to see anything like this round and
about. It's a pity people don't cultivate and sell the many different types
of edible British fungus, apart from the good old edible mushroom of course.
My mum took me on a 'mushroom forage' when I was very young, and I remember
it to this day, along with all the fungi we found. It was that foray that
enabled me to recognise the shaggy ink caps in my pots. It's no wonder towns
and cities are so depressing - such a lack of 'biodiversity' in our meagre
existence.

Andy

"Andy Hunt" wrote in message
...


Isn't there a fungus known as (very politically incorrectly)
"Jews'
ears"? I
remember eating some when I was young after a mushroom hunt in
Cwmbran,
Gwent . . .

If I may refer to Belgian chocolates, or Boerewors, why may I
not
refer to Jews'
ears?

Well I suppose it would be OK if they really WERE Jews' ears!
Having seen
the shape and general look of the fungus, I'm not sure how I would
feel if
it were called "Welshman's ears" . . . ! But then, as the man said,
political correctness does have a tendency to kill off plain
discussion.
[...]

It's always a good idea to distinguish so-called "political
corectness" from good old British good manners (you're in danger of
losing those, in my opinion, and that would be a world-class
catastrophe). A Jewish girlfriend told me she found the name "Jews'
ears" disturbing because the things didn't look very nice, and that
as far as she was concerned the only Jew's ears around were firmly
attached to the sides of her head. (Very neat they were, too, and
more than a little nibblable.) What, we wondered, were the fungi
called here before the illiterate mud-hut-dwelling locals had even
heard of Jews, and before Jews had been cast as villains?

I don't mind anything, however repulsive, being called "Aussies'
xxxx"* because Europeans haven't abused power over me and treated me
as an inferior breed -- Michael Howard and David Blunkett haven't
gone that far yet, but I suppose there's still time. If you've got a
Holocaust in the family you have reason to be less relaxed.

*Note the number of exes. I'm the first to admit that mass-produced
Oz beer is a disgrace to the craft of brewing -- but you're the
suckers who drink the stuff: not my problem. "Tastes better chilled",
indeed! You aren't going to fall for that shit, are you?...please?

Mike.

The message
from "Franz Heymann" contains these words:

If I may refer to Belgian chocolates, or Boerewors, why may I not
refer to Jews'
ears?
But more to the point, I always look out for them whenever I pass an
old elder copse.

Ah! Elder copse and Elder robbers!

--
Rusty
Open the creaking gate to make a horrid.squeak, then lower the foobar.
http://www.users.zetnet.co.uk/hi-fi/

"Jaques d'Alltrades" wrote in
message k...
The message
from "Franz Heymann" contains
these words:

If I may refer to Belgian chocolates, or Boerewors, why may I not
refer to Jews'
ears?
But more to the point, I always look out for them whenever I pass
an
old elder copse.

Ah! Elder copse and Elder robbers!

Yes. The one near Winkworth Arboretum provided me with Jews' ears for
frying and elderberries for winemaking for many years.

Franz