Newsgroup: it.cultura.linguistica.inglese
Titolo: Squash and Rape (Seed)

I am wondering if someone can clarify for me whether the fruit which
Americans call squash (zucca in Italian I believe) often served around
Thanksgiving time, are known by the same name in England?
Also, in Italian, the vegetable 'rape', is, as far as I am aware, only known
in England as an oil, called Rape Seed Oil.  In America, I would not know.
Is it known as a vegetable in either of these countries and if so under what
name?
Thanking all for any clarification which might be forthcoming,
I remain, as always, ecc.,
Bambi
dtb

name?
I wonder, is it possible that you are confusing the vegetable rabe
(broccolirabe) with the plant rape? In the US, broccolirabe is available some
stores but is not widely available. It is similar to broccoli, but with smaller
florets and somewhat of a bitter taste.
Rape is a member of the mustard family, like broccoli, that bears pods with
seeds that are used to make oil. The plant "rape" is not used for food. The root
of a variety of rape, called swedes, is similar to parsnips or turnips and was
eaten in Britain (I don't know if it still can be found there.)
Rape oil is seldom found in the US. Instead a variety is sold under the name
canola oil. This is a marketing term developed by Canadians who are a major
producer of this oil. I can only surmise that the reason for this invention may
be the other meaning of the word "rape" (violenza carnale).
Ciao,
Ron
USA

Bambi, 
I can't help you with your second request,but in America we refer to the large 
yellow and orange squashes served at Thanksgiving feasts (and also carved into
Jack O'Lanterns) as pumpkins and sometimes, colloquially, as punkins.  In Italy
I was told that the variety was simply referred to as zucca, which leaves me
wondering what they call squashes that are larger or differently shaped than
zucchini but not as large as a pumpkin.Here, pumpkins sometimes attain a
diameter of two feet or more.
David Krupp

name?
I'm the last person in the world to be able to answer a Queen's
question, but if this very question came from a newbie I would have said
that the american for rapa (I take it that you inadvertently used the
plural 'rape') is turnip.
I'm pretty sure I'm missing something here...
Was it not plural?
cheers,
Peltio
sometimes called 'a turnip head'

 Hi Bambi. I looked "squash" up in my dictionary and the translation is
"zucca". The scientific names for this fruit are: Cucurbita, Cucurbita
maxima, Cucurbita moschata. The best thing to do is to look these latin
terms up in a scientific dictionary with pictures and see if they
correspond to the fruit you're thinking about.
"Rape seed oil" is "olio di colza" in Italian; it's used for industrial
purposes also in the food industry but it's not eaten pure like olive oil;
it's ususally mixed with other oils or used in food preparations.
Ciao.
Cinzia.

 I'm pretty sure I'm missing something here...
Dear Peltio,
Who, if not the noblest of the K.I.S.A of the Realm has the right to be the
very first to answer a query from a damsel in distress.
I did use the plural, I believe, of rapa, but it is not of turnips that I
speak. Or at least not that I am aware.
Ron, in his helpful reply to my post says that 'rapeseed oil' is now
marketed
as Canola oil and is made from the roots of one of the varieties of rapes,
called swedes. However if this is the case, I think  w are not speaking of
the same thing. What I buy at the markets here under the Italian name 'rape'
does indeed have florets similar to broccoli, but the vegetable itself is
long and leafy though the taste is bitter and when raw, slightly peppery.
The florets, few and far between (sold as 'cime do rape') are found hidden
within, usually at the base.
You, my dear Peltio, never miss a thing.
I remain, as always,
Bambi
dtb

 packet of seeds staring at me as I type this...
Dear Loki,
Shame on you for neglecting your sister, eagerly awaiting that packet of
seeds! Post it post haste, I beseech you.
My thanks for your help in answering my query,


 David Krupp
Dear David,
Thank you for you help and answer. In autumn, the markets here also carry
pumpkins and squashes of proportions which are quite flabbergasting.
However, nothing compered to the sizes I have seen in America.
I remain, as always, ecc., ecc.,
Bambi
dtb

 it's ususally mixed with other oils or used in food preparations.
Dear Cinzia,
I have learnt something new, for which I thank you.


name  canola oil. [...]
Dear Ron,
A thorough response which has gone a long way to clearing up some doubts I
had, particularly with regard to the varieties of  pumpkins and their names.
As for 'rape' versus broccolirabe, I believe I know the vegetable you have
in mind, and it is not the same as the one I am referring to. There is
market today and I shall go and ask some of the farmers, though I suspect I
will be none the wiser in the end, as the names they will give me,  will
undoubtedly  be in Abruzzese.
Thank you for your help.
I remain, as always, ecc.,
Bambi
dtb

of rapes, called swedes.
Bambi, Bambi, Bambi.. this is not what I said. The oil is made from the seeds.
The only part of the rape plant that I believe is eaten by humans is the root,
sold as swedes. I believe the rape plant is generally used as fodder.
Ciao,
Ron
USA

 
Until recently, only broccoli (broccoletti) could be found in the UK,
but I think your cime di rapa are now sold there under the name of
"Calabrese".
Rapeseed oil was unknown in the UK until fairly recently, but now there
are fields of rape everywhere; I think it's something to do with the
Common Market subsidies.
Rape (Brassica napus) comes from the same family as swedes (Am.
rutabaga) (Brassica napobrassica), turnips (Brassica rapa) and kohlrabi
(cavolo rapa) (Brassica oleracea caulorapa), but they're different
plants.
We don't seem to get all the various varieties of squash in the UK that
they have in the States, and the word "squash" is unknown.
We have courgettes (zucchini), pumpkins (zucche rotonde gialle) and
marrows, which are just overgrown zucchini. They feed them to the pigs
in Italy, but we eat them with a mincemeat stuffing in the UK. Marrow
and ginger jam is quite nice.
Mary
-- 
If you throw zucchini up into the air, do they come down squash?

seeds! Post it post haste, I beseech you.
Yes, and especially being Queensland Blue. Please send them
"raccomandata con ricevuta di ritorno".
Raymot
=======
Brisbane, Queensland
[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[

dtb
Or could it perhaps have been the bolly speaking?  :)
Raymot
[[[[[[[[[[[[

 Raymot
Dear Raymot,
I didn't think I was going to get away with writing the above, but thought
it was worth a shot anyway. I had a vain notion that since I don't have a
web-cam, nobody could see and so nobody would notice. I was mistaken and
underestimated the powers of deduction that you posses.
Cheers then,
