Dessert
Dessert是從法語desservir借來的字,表示"to clear the table" and "to serve." 。Desserts包括:cakes, cookies, fruits, pastries, ice cream,and candies。這個(gè)詞廣泛地應(yīng)用于美國、加拿大、澳大利亞、愛爾蘭。
The dessert is seen as a separate meal or snack rather than a course, and may be eaten apart from the meal. In colloquial American usage "dessert" has a broader meaning and can refer to anything sweet that follows a meal, including milkshakes and other beverages。
除了指餐后最后一道菜,隨時(shí)吃的甜品都可以叫dessert。美國口語化的用法中,dessert有更為寬泛的用法,它可以指任何包括奶昔和飲料在內(nèi)的甜食。
Pudding
Putting是從法語boudin借來的字,而它最初則源自拉丁文botellus,表示"small sausage" ,因?yàn)橹惺兰o(jì)的歐洲,pudding一般都是塞著肉的小食。Pudding與dessert的應(yīng)用地域不同,pudding主要是英國和印度的說法。
Sweet
Sweet同Pudding的應(yīng)用地域相同,但是應(yīng)用的階級(jí)不同。在英國上層和中上層階級(jí)( the upper-class/upper-middle-class )眼中,pudding is the proper term, dessert is only to be used if the course consists of fruit, and sweet is colloquial. 上層階級(jí)的人只認(rèn)pudding,只有帶水果的才會(huì)說dessert,而sweet則是不入他們法眼的口語說法。甜品的稱呼之所以有階級(jí)之別,是因?yàn)樵谥铺菢I(yè)尚未機(jī)械化的時(shí)候,sweets were a privilege of the aristocracy, or a rare holiday treat,吃糖也是富人才能享有的特權(quán),所以他們當(dāng)然非常在乎對(duì)它的稱呼了。
但對(duì)美國人來說,sweet只是形容詞,pudding只是布丁,餐后甜點(diǎn)只稱dessert,也泛指餐中最后一道菜,包括芝士和水果。
說到甜品,我們不得不提下chocolate。Chocolate愈濃愈好。“濃”的英文是rich,也是“有錢”的意思,所以英文里有句語帶雙關(guān)的話:chocolate and men, the richer the better。形容很濃的chocolate cake,可以說a very rich chocolate cake 或者sinfully rich chocolate cake,甚至可以叫chocolate sin。
說到夸張的命名法,不得不提到death by chocolate,這應(yīng)該是巧克力蛋糕的最高境界了吧。
若要夸張地形容超好吃的甜點(diǎn),可用orgasmic這個(gè)詞。orgasm是性高潮的意思,形容詞orgasmic則描述像性高潮一樣令人興奮的東西,因?yàn)橛腥搜芯窟^,當(dāng)人吃甜食的時(shí)候,腦部神經(jīng)會(huì)發(fā)出一種同性高潮一樣的訊息。例子:an almost orgasmic chocolate cake。