Ladyfingers & Nun's Tummies: A Lighthearted Look at How Foods Got Their Names by Martha Barnette (641.014 Bar Main)
Usually I'm too busy eating to wonder how various foods came by their names, but this wonderful little book has me pausing between bites. Some items I'd never head of before; others were familiar but knowing the history gave them an added dimension. For example, "Baked Alaska," that ice cream dessert encased in sponge cake and meringue, was known in France as a "Norwegian omelet." Some scholars believe the word "candy" may come from the Sanskrit word "khanda" which means "sugar in pieces." There are a number of entries related to Mardi Gras, which highlights the surprising number of foods that have religious connections. Pretzels are thought to represent arms crossed in prayer, for example. Even marzipan has an added meaning.
Other food names have somewhat risque origins. Let's just say you'll never look at an avocado quite the same way again.
And the "nun's tummy" of the title? That's a Portuguese sweet egg custard!
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