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