Food words often misused

[balex]

Entree = main course.

[Adam Balic]

Buffalo wings are not  made from parts of the Buffalo, but there's a long standing tradition of naming food stuff for its place or origin. "Buffalo wings" may elicit some humor, but it's not a misuse in my opinion. "Swiss cheese" is far worse.

The BW's that I had were the base of the wing, turned into those mini-drumsticks. Multi-layer misuse of words.

[tommy]

"Shrimp scampi" has become associated with a type of preparation, but you have to agree that was weird as scampi (prawns) may be prepared any number of ways. It may be commonly understood, but that doesn't exempt it from being considered a misuse.

only people who know what scampi means in italian know it is somehow "wrong" or funny. the rest of us just accept scampi (no italics, as it's an english word in this usage) as a preparation.

[Basildog]

Confit....of tomatoes, shallots etc etc...is this right?

[Adam Balic]

"Shrimp scampi" has become associated with a type of preparation, but you have to agree that was weird as scampi (prawns) may be prepared any number of ways. It may be commonly understood, but that doesn't exempt it from being considered a misuse.

only people who know what scampi means in italian know it is somehow "wrong" or funny. the rest of us just accept scampi (no italics, as it's an english word in this usage) as a preparation.

"Scampi" is mis-used in the UK as well. It means Langoustine that have been de-shelled, processed and crumbed on an industrial scale to be sold at pubs. It meant originally the name of the animal now the process. Restuarants sell the same beast as "Langoustines". Originally, they were 'Dublin Bay Prawns' or 'Norwegian Lobster'.

Language, so confusing.

[Stone]

"Shrimp scampi" has become associated with a type of preparation, but you have to agree that was weird as scampi (prawns) may be prepared any number of ways. It may be commonly understood, but that doesn't exempt it from being considered a misuse.

only people who know what scampi means in italian know it is somehow "wrong" or funny. the rest of us just accept scampi (no italics, as it's an english word in this usage) as a preparation.

Otto, when they mean "oh-toe" (truncated oh and aspirated toe, of course.)

[ruthcooks]

1. The most widely used in the world: with au jus (with with juice)

2. Healthy food? As opposed to sick, I guess. Food is healthful, all of it.

3. My particular pet peeve: tender crisp, as referring to vegetables. If it's tender, it cannot be crisp, and vice versa. Usually refers to warmed raw vegetables--they're certainly not cooked, as cooking results in a change in texture and flavor.

[slkinsey]

"Shrimp scampi" has become associated with a type of preparation, but you have to agree that was weird as scampi (prawns) may be prepared any number of ways. It may be commonly understood, but that doesn't exempt it from being considered a misuse.

only people who know what scampi means in italian know it is somehow "wrong" or funny. the rest of us just accept scampi (no italics, as it's an english word in this usage) as a preparation.

The "shrimp scampi" I can remember having in the UK many years ago were essentially breaded and deep fried shrimp.

Anyway... just because something is "commonly (mis)understood" as having a certain meaning doesn't mean that it isn't still misused. It just means that the misuse is commonly understood as having a certain meaning. To make a comparison, everyone knows what I am talking about if I say, "ATM machine" but it is still a misuse.

[fresco]

Happy hour.

[tommy]

Anyway... just because something is "commonly (mis)understood" as having a certain meaning doesn't mean that it isn't still misused.  It just means that the misuse is commonly understood as having a certain meaning.  To make a comparison, everyone knows what I am talking about if I say, "ATM machine" but it is still a misuse.

yer a stickler.

btw way, i found myself at a restaurant the other night with no cash. since i've done a bit of traveling, and realize that not everyone has the "MAC" system, as we do in NJ/NY, i asked the hostess if there was a "money machine" close by. she looked at me like i had 3 heads and suggested that there was a bank down the road with a MAC machine, adding, "if that helps."

Edited June 12, 2003 by tommy (log)

[Bux]

Confit....of tomatoes, shallots etc etc...is this right?

Presumably it is, if they have been preserved or at least had their shelf life increased.

[Bux]

"Shrimp scampi" has become associated with a type of preparation, but you have to agree that was weird as scampi (prawns) may be prepared any number of ways. It may be commonly understood, but that doesn't exempt it from being considered a misuse.

only people who know what scampi means in italian know it is somehow "wrong" or funny. the rest of us just accept scampi (no italics, as it's an english word in this usage) as a preparation.

Of course if I had never heard of the animal called a buffalo, there'd be nothing amusing about Buffalo Wings either. The less educated one is, the more likely one is to accept what one is told.

[beans]

My pet peeve is "fresh farm raised salmon" for a myriad of reasons. I picture the old man and woman with the pitchfork when the word "farm" is evoked.

On the other end of "jumbo shrimp" how about "popcorn shrimp" ?

The words alone "fresh frozen" is a bit odd, it is an abrupt description of a process.

[Basildog]

Confit....of tomatoes, shallots etc etc...is this right?

Presumably it is, if they have been preserved or at least had their shelf life increased.

Well that's OK then

[Basildog]

The words alone "fresh frozen" is a bit odd, it is an abrupt description of a process.

But it can be applied to fresh pasta that has been frozen, as opposed to dried pasta that had been frozen(Like that would happen)

[fresco]

Translations of popular (and misleading) food terms may be worth a thread all by itself:

Fresh--Anything up to and including several days (or weeks) old but not putrid enough to attract the attention of health inspectors.

Home-style cooking--As long as you include prisons and other such institutions in the definition of "home."

Etc.

[Jaymes]

Much of this stuff began life with the word, "style" added after it.

So, "Buffalo-style Wings" and "Shrimp, prepared scampi-style" etc. But over time, the "style" part was dropped, being understood by most of the populace.

I can say no such thing about the current total misunderstanding, in the U.S. anyway, as to the meaning (and pronounciation) of "bruschetta."

We all seem to get that the Italian "ch" is pronounced with a hard sound when we say "Chianti" - why is it so difficult to figure that out with bruschetta?

And the majority of the US seems to believe that bruschetta has nothing to do with bread; but is rather, the now-common tomato topping.

And so I went to an "Italian" restaurant a few weeks back and the erstwhile young waiter said that the special of the day was "Chicken BruSHetta Pasta."

What on earth is that? I wondered.

"Well, it's chicken with bruSHetta, tossed with pasta."

What?

"'BruSHetta' is a kind of Italian salsa. So it's breast of chicken tossed with bruSHetta, served over pasta."

Oh.

Edited June 12, 2003 by Jaymes (log)

[fresco]

Jaymes,

Aren't you glad you asked?

[Jaymes]

Jaymes,

Aren't you glad you asked?

Yeah. I could envision a couple big slices of garlic bread in my dish of pasta.

So I did ask.

And it turned out to be darn tasty.

[tommy]

Home-style cooking--As long as you include prisons and other such institutions in the definition of "home."

Rachel Ray, of TVFN's 40 Dollars a Day said on an episode yesterday enthused that the food at this particular place was "all made from scratch." she had a frittata.

Edited June 12, 2003 by tommy (log)

[fresco]

Jaymes,

Well, then...not just a nice lunch, but an education, too. Bonus.

Edited June 12, 2003 by fresco (log)

[Adam Balic]

I can say no such thing about the current total misunderstanding, in the U.S. anyway, as to the meaning (and pronounciation) of "bruschetta."

We all seem to get that the Italian "ch" is pronounced with a hard sound when we say "Chianti" - why is it so difficult to figure that out with bruschetta?

I believe it involves the same logic which means the word 'Celtic' is pronounced 'Seltic', instead of 'Keltic'.

Chicken Bruschetta Pasta? Golly.

[fresco]

Tommy,

Rachael Ray has her detractors, but her (unintentional) entertainment value is very high.

[Jaymes]

I can say no such thing about the current total misunderstanding, in the U.S. anyway, as to the meaning (and pronounciation) of "bruschetta."

We all seem to get that the Italian "ch" is pronounced with a hard sound when we say "Chianti" - why is it so difficult to figure that out with bruschetta?

I believe it involves the same logic which means the word 'Celtic' is pronounced 'Seltic', instead of 'Keltic'.

I think all us Americans can thank Boston for that. Frankly, I believe the "bean" thing worked out better.

[Adam Balic]

I can say no such thing about the current total misunderstanding, in the U.S. anyway, as to the meaning (and pronounciation) of "bruschetta."

We all seem to get that the Italian "ch" is pronounced with a hard sound when we say "Chianti" - why is it so difficult to figure that out with bruschetta?

I believe it involves the same logic which means the word 'Celtic' is pronounced 'Seltic', instead of 'Keltic'.

I think all us Americans can thank Boston for that. Frankly, I believe the "bean" thing worked out better.

A Football (soccer) team in Scotland is called 'Celtic' (Seltic), named after the baseball team (?). It will no doubt become the dominant pronouciation, along with Tah-geen (Tagine) etc.