I don't know how to avoid this problem but someone might be able to help.
We have seen in various threads the differences in the English language from county to country. In a chapter posted today the heroine, a lady of taste, an American ambassador and company director, is offered deer's testicles cooked by a friend at her home.
Of course J Balls doesn't mean that (?) - I hope he means venison but how could he have avoided this mistake?
Of course J Balls doesn't mean that (?) - I hope he means venison but how could he have avoided this mistake?
You will have to clarify what you view as a mistake.
Deer is the name assigned to the animal. Its flesh is referred to as venison. So why is referring to the dish served as deer's testicles a mistake? The text is only clarifying the specific part of the deer that is being served.
So why is referring to the dish served as deer's testicles a mistake?
It wouldn't be, but the story actually says deer balls not deer testicles. I think he's just being grossed out by what part of the anatamy is being served.
Deer is the name assigned to the animal. Its flesh is referred to as venison. So why is referring to the dish served as deer's testicles a mistake? The text is only clarifying the specific part of the deer that is being served.
Exactly. She was actually served "deer balls" which over here refers to the testicles. If you want to refer to a roughly spherical lump of deer meat you would call it venison balls.
OK so in Spain bulls testicles are served as an honour but from previous references animal testicles in the USA are prairie oysters, not balls. All too confusing which was the point of my post
from previous references animal testicles in the USA are prairie oysters,
I've never heard the term prairie oysters. I have heard Rocky Mountain Oysters (very specifically bull testicles).
I've never heard the term prairie oysters.
What are Rocky Mountain oysters? They are also known as prairie oysters, Montana tendergroins, cowboy caviar, swinging beef, and calf fries . . .
https://whatscookingamerica.net/History/RockyMtnOyster.htm
from previous references animal testicles in the USA are prairie oysters,
I've never heard the term prairie oysters. I have heard Rocky Mountain Oysters (very specifically bull testicles).
Different terms for the same thing from different regions of the country (U.S.A.).
Of course J Balls doesn't mean that (?) - I hope he means venison but how could he have avoided this mistake?
I've not heard of this done with deer, but a common "delicacy" in the western US states, is bull (beef) testicles. The dish is commonly referred to as Rocky Mountain Oysters.
Of course J Balls doesn't mean that (?) - I hope he means venison but how could he have avoided this mistake?
I've not heard of this done with deer, but a common "delicacy" in the western US states, is bull (beef) testicles. The dish is commonly referred to as Rocky Mountain Oysters.
In the part of the Midwest that I hail from, Rocky Mountain Oysters could be either beef or pork. Of course, the pork ones would probably be smaller, but what the hey.
In the part of the Midwest that I hail from
In the part of the Midwest that I hail from, no one eats Rocky Mountain Oysters in any flavor. The only places I have ever seen them on the menu is in Colorado and Wyoming and then always beef.
no one eats Rocky Mountain Oysters in any flavor.
I had a friend who tried to get me to sample some, but she refused to tell me what it was. I am willing to sample almost anything, but my one rule is I want to know what I am putting in my mouth before I try it. She refused to tell me, so I declined. She later told me what it was.
I had a friend who tried to get me to sample some, but she refused to tell me what it was. I am willing to sample almost anything, but my one rule is I want to know what I am putting in my mouth before I try it. She refused to tell me, so I declined. She later told me what it was.
That's typical. It's rarely served as a regular dish, instead it's usually served whenever 'visitors from the city' come calling, and they serve it as "prairie" or "Rocky Mountain oysters" (depending on location), and then laugh like hell when the city dwellers retch after being told. It's no wonder everyone considers them hillbillies! That's not quite how you develop an appreciation of your culture!
That's typical. It's rarely served as a regular dish
From my experience, Rocky Mountain Oysters is a regular menu item in Denver, Colorado steakhouses.
When I was a teen, we had some family visiting Iowa from their home in Las Vegas. We had them out for supper one day, and had the usual farm meal - minute steak, taters, sweet corn, bread, desert. My cousin asked for a second helping of the minute steak and my dad asked "That dead cow tastes pretty good, doesn't it?" Funny how that second helping didn't get eaten.
Minute steak - One of the poorer cuts of beef that has been run through a machine to basically poke holes in it to help tenderize it.
My cousin asked for a second helping of the minute steak and my dad asked "That dead cow tastes pretty good, doesn't it?" Funny how that second helping didn't get eaten.
I've always been amused by the number of city slickers who love a T-bone steak or a rump steak, but turn their nose up at a piece of burnt bovine muscle.
I've always been amused by the number of city slickers who love a T-bone steak or a rump steak, but turn their nose up at a piece of burnt bovine muscle.
I like the really clueless ones who seem to think that meat comes from some factory all neatly packaged up. 'No animals were hurt in the creation of this food!'
I've always been amused by the number of city slickers who love a T-bone steak or a rump steak, but turn their nose up at a piece of burnt bovine muscle.
I'm certainly a member of PETA ...
People Eating Tasty Animals.
But then again, while I live in the city now, I grew up in the country. It wasn't catch and release fishing, it was catch it, clean it, cook it, and eat it. We'd go squirrel hunting during season - no bag limit, however many we could get, we'd clean and then freeze for later. Putting that half a cow in the freezer in the fall meant we had meat on the table all winter - a couple of deer helped stretch the food budget even more.
I'm certainly a member of PETA ...
People Eating Tasty Animals.
Well, on this site we probably have the other flavor of PETA kicking around as well. Given a specific not code.
People for the Erotic Treatment of Animals.
But I'd rather go for your option.
Well, on this site we probably have the other flavor of PETA kicking around as well. Given a specific not code.
People for the Erotic Treatment of Animals.
But I'd rather go for your option.
That would be covered here:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EQzSzKAPvCA
(Robot Chicken clip - how bagpipes were invented.)
Well, on this site we probably have the other flavor of PETA kicking around as well. Given a specific not code.
People for the Erotic Treatment of Animals.
I thought the other PETA was People Eating Tasty Animals.
When my grandson was in kindergarten they kept a batch of freshly laid eggs under a heat lamp and waited until they hatched. Soon after, the chicks were taken to a nearby farm.
I asked him, "What happens to the chickens after they go to the farm?" and he said, "We eat them!"
When I was a teen, we had some family visiting Iowa from their home in Las Vegas. We had them out for supper one day, and had the usual farm meal - minute steak, taters, sweet corn, bread, desert. My cousin asked for a second helping of the minute steak and my dad asked "That dead cow tastes pretty good, doesn't it?" Funny how that second helping didn't get eaten.
I took my girlfriend on holiday skiing. At dinner she commented on the steak being the best she had ever had - yes it was delicious.
Across the room I heard a waitress answer a question by saying it was "hval"; my girlfriend didn't eat the last mouthful off her fork when I translated that it was whale.
As for bulls bits, they are a dish cooked for and given to an honoured friend by the torero after the corrida.
It is probably better that I didn't and don't know some of the ingredients of dishes presented to me.
In the part of the Midwest that I hail from, no one eats Rocky Mountain Oysters in any flavor. The only places I have ever seen them on the menu is in Colorado and Wyoming and then always beef.
In the little sleepy town in Iowa I hail from, the Legion would have a Rocky Mountain Oyster fry once a year. That was about the only time one would hear about them.
In the little sleepy town in Iowa I hail from, the Legion would have a Rocky Mountain Oyster fry once a year. That was about the only time one would hear about them.
I'll bet your festival occurs around the same time of year, or soon after, that cattle ranchers in your area castrate their bull calves, turning them into steers. That usually only happens once a year after spring calves reach a certain age.
That usually only happens once a year after spring calves reach a certain age.
Combined with tagging and branding it makes things easier for everyone involved on the ranch. Four chores combined into one overall task. Roundup, branding, tagging and castration all in one overall task.
followed by a nice dinner of .... :)
considering my personal life history. I have learned to enjoy any meal. As far as I can remember I missed out on this one, but I have had many others which some would look down on just because of the ingredients or names: chitlins is one of those meal items.
I have had many others which some would look down on just because of the ingredients or names
Back in Indiana, my neighbor was married to a Mexican woman. Her family would have some of the traditional foods. For some reason, I never did quite manage to taste the freshly cooked cow brains, cooked and served in the skull.
Go figure - I like shrimp, prawns, and lobster, but don't like crawdads.
For some reason, I never did quite manage to taste the freshly cooked cow brains, cooked and served in the skull.
I've always loved sweetbreads, whatever the source (although it's more often served from sheep or lamb, rather than beef or pigs, depending on locale, of course).
I've not heard of this done with deer, but a common "delicacy" in the western US states, is bull (beef) testicles. The dish is commonly referred to as Rocky Mountain Oysters.
Sheep too.
Edit to add: It actually came up in an episode of Dirty Jobs, and he evidently was offered, and accepted the chance to try eating them. Evidently they're not bad, it's just getting over the psychological aspect that's daunting.
Or Squirrel, in the case of "Rocky's Mountain Oysters". ;D
Those would be the "mountain oyster" equivalent of popcorn chicken or shrimp. :P
"What about Moose?" (/bad Russian accent)
"What about Moose?" (/bad Russian accent)
I was trying to think of the Moose equivalent (Bullwinkle's Mountain Basketballs?) but came up dry (a stupid pun only those who eat them will appreciate). Or maybe I'm conflating mountain oysters with sweetbreads?
In Ky., Mountain Oysters are pork balls, bull fries are beef balls, and lamb fries are sheep balls. Of course, it's widely recognized that we're hillbillies. LMAO.
In Ky.
Pretty much the same in Oklahoma, too.
And thin sliced and deep fried. Good eating.
For the author, the only thing you can do is be consistent.
If you are writing Canadian, consistently write Canadian, same for US, Aussie, British.
I had a huge fight with British readers over the usage of 'Saloon' and 'Salon' in a nautical sense. A 'Saloon' in America is a bar in the old west with cowboys, whisky, poker, and hookers. It is NOT the main cabin of a yacht. That's a salon. I finally had to produce a brochure from the 50's for the yacht that called that room a 'Salon' before they'd shut-up about it!
As long as the author is consistent, just go with it.
It is NOT the main cabin of a yacht. That's a salon.
Here in Australia a Salon is where you get your hair done, although they now also do other female related beauty things.
It is NOT the main cabin of a yacht. That's a salon.
Here in Australia a Salon is where you get your hair done, although they now also do other female related beauty things.
The "salon" is where you get your hair done on your private yacht (or private jet). 'D
I had a huge fight with British readers over the usage of 'Saloon' and 'Salon' in a nautical sense. A 'Saloon' in America is a bar in the old west with cowboys, whisky, poker, and hookers. It is NOT the main cabin of a yacht. That's a salon. I finally had to produce a brochure from the 50's for the yacht that called that room a 'Salon' before they'd shut-up about it!
That is exactly the point I was trying to make. As Grant points out a salon is something different BUT when you have been reading on SOL for many years one gets accustomed to American differences / eccentricities. However, to add to my antipodean colleague's interpretation a salon is where a lady (not the whore variety) would entertain her lady guests in earlier times - a bit like a lounge or sitting room or parlour or even morning room - depending on your class
However from time to time a new word appears without a context to explain it, for example "deer balls" which I had never seen before. Prairie oysters and all the variations have been discussed here so they are understood but deer balls???
It is those rare differences which are the problem. From the offerings here they could actually be deer cajones OR minced venison in spheres.
one gets accustomed to American differences / eccentricities
And I suppose we just contribute is to an American-British difference when someone comes up with an out-of-use (antiquated) manner to use a word that we do not recognize. Each group say they are weird to use the word that way.
However from time to time a new word appears without a context to explain it, for example "deer balls" which I had never seen before. Prairie oysters and all the variations have been discussed here so they are understood but deer balls???
In either case, the author should describe what's being eaten, since few international readers (think of those in the Middle East, Russia or China) would understand what either "prairie oysters" or "Mountain Oysters" are. That's part of the obligation of writers, making yourself understood by more than just your friends.
"Deer balls" could be either balls of venison or deer testicles, thus the term is effectively meaningless. It's an author trying too hard to be clever.
'Saloon' and 'Salon'
Go far enough back into the etymology of both words and they come from the same word to mean a large gathering of people then expanded to mean the large room for people to gather in. The original word had a single 'o' with an accent which gave it an 'oo' sound as against an 'oh' sound. The spelling difference is probably down to Webster, again. However, over the years the meaning morphed a little more and started collecting adjectives to help clarify the type of room or what the room was being used for. I've seen yachts advertised with a salon in UK publications and a saloon in US publications. As long as the context makes it clear which type of salon / saloon is being referred to, it doesn't matter much which spelling you use, because International English has both as valid usages.
Just be thankful you aren't trying to define the differences in the meanings of the word 'bastard' as used in Australia, because the fine meaning varies with the context and the tone in which it's said.