Flowery food descriptions: 'hand baked'

[Davidc]

Bully for you. Unfortunately, most people get fish which has been stored for much longer, which is why Tim is right.

A lot of wet fish which isn't fresh is described as fresh - I've never understood how that squares with Trade Descriptions.

There are plenty of small scale fisheries which catch and sell locally, some through fishmongers and some direct. It's a case of knowing who and where to buy from.

There was a fishmonger in Bristol who bought fish from Brixham and sold it within 2 days of catch when I last lived there so there's hope for you yet User482.

 

[User482]

There was a fishmonger in Bristol who bought fish from Brixham and sold it within 2 days of catch when I last lived there so there's hope for you yet User482.

Yes, I know. It's where I buy my fish.

 

[theclaud]

Actually, it's not. Generally, both are made from meat juices, but gravy is usually thickened whereas jus is not. Unfortunately, most restaurants don't know the difference.

Speaking of which: creme anglaise is so called because the French have no word for custard. So why put it on English menus?

I once saw a menu including the description "a dialogue of purees". I've not been back...

That's a shocker. I'm with you on jus. The term is annoying but I'd much rather have meat served a couple of spoonfuls of its own juice than with a gallon of wallpaper-paste gravy.

 

[Fab Foodie]

That's a shocker. I'm with you on jus. The term is annoying but I'd much rather have meat served a couple of spoonfuls of its own juice than with a gallon of wallpaper-paste gravy.

But then there's gravy and Gravy

 

[theclaud]

But then there's gravy and Gravy

I quite agree, but it remains the case that most gravy is over-thickened and and bulked up with fillers. Although I admit to quite liking chips with horrible gravy on.

 

[theclaud]

But there's still no need to use the French word for unthickened gravy. Andy in Sig would (quite rightly) be appalled.

I quite agree. These unnecessary French words are truly consternant.

 

[User482]

But there's still no need to use the French word for unthickened gravy. Andy in Sig would (quite rightly) be appalled.

Call it juice, then. If it's not thickened, it's not gravy. The best thickening ingredient is beurre manié

 

[Archie_tect]

If it's jus' right it's gravy....

 

[User482]

You should have a read of the Oxford Companion to Food by Alan Davidson. He's very down on "jus" as well!

If it's not thickened it's gravy and if it's thickened, it's gravy.

Which isn't helpful to the diner. So, rather than the tortuous "unthickened gravy", call it jus, or meat juices if we wish to avoid offending francophobe sensitivities.

 

[TwickenhamCyclist]

The menu in pseudo posh pubs like All Bar One always make me laugh:

Cumberland sausage, puree potato and onion deglaze (£15)

Or, as The Nags Head might put it, Sausage mash and onion gravy (£4.50)

 

[User482]

Or we could let the diner know what kind of sauce is accompanying their meal, by using descriptions that are commonly understood.

 

[User482]

That's a very good idea. If they're French.

Have you ever ordered a creme brulee?

 

[Archie_tect]

Have you ever ordered a creme brulee?

I thought I had but after reading the creme brulee thread, I'm not so sure.

 

[User482]

Yes, in France. In the UK, I've ordered a burnt cream a few times.

Creme brulee originates from France, and is commonly understood. Translating it is unnecessary inverted snobbery.

If you see "pork" on the menu, do you translate it to "pig"? I'd hate to think that you were being inconsistent.

 

[User482]

Completely different. "Jus" is a recently introduced, pretentious and unnecessary word, when English already has the perfectly good "gravy". Nothing wrong with it.

And "burnt cream" is another perfectly good word of centuries long standing, which is understood by anybody.

Gravy is understood by most people to be a thickened sauce made from meat juices. Therefore, having another word to describe an unthickened sauce is entirely appropriate.

Burnt cream is a newer description than creme brulee, and is understood less widely. Translating it is pointless, given that it is well established in English.

Cow, is of course, a perfectly good word of centuries long standing , so why ask for beef?