I learned about something today called Spotted Dick. Rather than being a loathsome disease, it is a British pastry pudding of some sort. Anyone know of any other weird pastry names I should add to my ever expanding vocabulary?

The names of many foodstuffs can be kind of weird. Some people call Danish pastries snails. There are also bearclaws. I've had a Turkish dish called sigara böregi, the name and shape of which are like small cigars. Germans have Lebkuhcenschnecken 'gingerbread snails'. Crullers are weirdly named, but I'm not sure I even know what a cruller is. A kind of doughnut? Since there's a pastry named after Napoleon, why isn't there an egg dish named after Wellington? Pets de soeurs (aka Nonnenfürzchen) have been discussed before on this board. A friend of mine's daughter and son-in-law have started a carnal cookies website (caution adult-themed cookies). La!

[Fixed typo.]

This message has been edited. Last edited by: zmježd,

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Originally posted by zmjezhd:
Since there's a pastry named after Napoleon, why isn't their an egg dish named after Wellington?

Because he got the boot.

I've always like "long johns" best . . . a.k.a. cream sticks.

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Originally posted by zmjezhd:
why isn't their an egg dish named after Wellington?

Well, there is a beef dish: http://thefoody.com/meat/beefwellington.html

I think I like the "spotted Dick" most of all!

I know there are some other funny British words for food because we've discussed them before.

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I think I like the "spotted Dick" most of all!

Perhaps some antibiotics would clear that up for him?

I am hoping to be able to arrange a meal at the Wordcraft Convention (booking form coming soon) where we will be able to sample such things as spotted dick, faggots, steak and kidney pudding, lardy cake and crumpets. I would appreciate help from any of ours based in the West Midlands (Cat, Bob?) as to a good place to get this arranged.

Oh, yes...I forgot about "faggots!"

Sounds like fun! Great idea!

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I am hoping to be able to arrange a meal at the Wordcraft Convention (booking form coming soon) where we will be able to sample such things as spotted dick, faggots, steak and kidney pudding, lardy cake and crumpets. I would appreciate help from any of ours based in the West Midlands (Cat, Bob?) as to a good place to get this arranged.

Just bringing this to the top as a reminder.

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Originally posted by shufitz:

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I am hoping to be able to arrange a meal at the Wordcraft Convention (booking form coming soon) where we will be able to sample such things as spotted dick, faggots, steak and kidney pudding, lardy cake and crumpets. I would appreciate help from any of ours based in the West Midlands (Cat, Bob?) as to a good place to get this arranged.

Just bringing this to the top as a reminder.

I'm looking. It's surprisingly difficult to fine anythingauthentic.

Back to the West side of the Atlantic, and well inland, two weeks ago while in Cincinnati, we were served radio rolls from a local bakery. They were extremely large pecan danish. I'm from Cincinnati, but have not lived there in nearly 40 years, and had never heard of these.

WM

I've not heard of them, Wordmatic.

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I'm looking. It's surprisingly difficult to fine anythingauthentic.

Many thanks, Bob.

Did you get my pm on this topic?

In Greece there's a pastry called 'cock' (at least that's how it's pronounced) which is two flat round spongy cakes filled with whipped cream and a chocolate glaze on top. Imagine my surprise when I first went into a pastry shop and heard someone ordering a cock!

In Russian, "cock" means "how." "How's it going" sounds like "cock deela." As for spongy cakes, uhhh, the corpus spongiosum surrounds the male urethra. I'm sure you're thrilled to learn that!

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Anyone know of any other weird pastry names I should add to my ever expanding vocabulary?

Lekvar is "a sweet spread or pastry filling made of prunes or apricots." The term comes to us throug a long chain of language, starting with Late Latin.

The L.Latin and Czech forms mean eluctuary (which we discussed here), "a medicinal conserve or paste, consisting of a powder mixed with honey, preserve, or syrup."

Oh, muse...that pastry sounds wonderful, but I don't know that I'd have the nerve to order it!

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Originally posted by Kalleh:
I think I like the "spotted Dick" most of all!

I know there are some other funny British words for food because we've discussed them before.

Many of the British funny names stem from school meals, especially our older public (i.e. private in USA) schools. We used to eat with difficulty something called dead man's leg, a sort of rolled spong filled with stale minced meat. Our pastries were often bathed in quiddle, a slang term for custard. Our daily bread was known as bars, and we drank bull,i.e. milk. I am sure these words were thought exclusive to the school, and I am sure most other schools had their own inimitable terms.

Hmmm, the British drink bull and they speak bull...

Dead man's leg? Geez! I imagine that would turn some people off; I know my son, with a weak stomach, would never eat anything like that.

Well, hopefully you'll be able to try some faggots and peas pudding, followed by spotted dick, in a couple of weeks time!

In England, "dick" is a common, non specific name for a dog, much as we use the word, Fido. Therefore, Spotted Dick means a spotted dog.
Has anyone heard of Stargazy Pie? It is an English fish pie in which the heads of the little fish stick up through the pastry gazing at the stars.
We have a new little bakery in a southern town and they call everything "pastry" of "Danish." I like to know the proper names of things. Does anyone know of a reference list of shapes. And yes, we have Bear Claws.

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In England, "dick" is a common, non specific name for a dog, much as we use the word, Fido.

Not where I come from, it's not. I don't know the etymology of Spotted Dick by I doubt it's that.

And welcome to our boadr, missann, by the way. Where are you?

Our fortnightly chat is about to start if you'd like to join in. Just follow the links and we'll all be there, ready and waiting for you.

The Straight Dope chimes in.

Welcome, missann! Do we have another British poster?

When I come to the wordcraft convention, I am not going to try a "spotted dick," which, dear Americans, Straight Dope's questioner explained as being: "a steamed, log-shaped suet pudding studded with currants." Ewww!

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When I come to the wordcraft convention, I am not going to try a "spotted dick,"

Don't knock it if you haven't tried it! Spotted Dick is very tasty.