Victor wrote:

> If we were to stay with specifically forcemeat, particularly if called
> "bulk sausage", of which there exist any number of different recipes and
> compositions, we would have to forget all about rissoles, ptés,
> quenelles, etc, etc., any of these terms/dishes probably less known than
> "forcemeat" to the cooks in the USA you have in mind.

I think the term "pté" is fairly well-known. And rissoles are generally
called "croquettes" here; that term is also fairly well-known, though it is
slightly different than the term "rissole".


> So, about the only things left to discuss would be "sausage patties",
> hamburger (or even "hamburg"), meat loaf, meatballs - and hardly anything
> else. Hardly worth reading or posting even on rfc, where more "exotic"
> recipes and dishes are still sometimes discussed. (The funny thing, is
> "forcemeat" has been there for centuries, whereas "bulk sausage" and
> "hamburger" [when misused in the similar fashion] appear to be very recent
> arrivals, relatively speaking).

'Sblood! An ye would not let language change as it will? By my halidom, I'd
sooner try to hold back raindrops in a tempest!


> The question, ultimately, is what you want to communicate and to whom.
> Communication, to me, is not necessarily something reduced to the lowest
> common denominator. If this sounds "elitist", so be it. Ha! However,
> none of this was the original purpose of my getting into this whole
> discussion at all - it was just pointing out the obvious semantic
> nonsense of "bulk sausage".

Yet you have no problem with semantic abominations like spag bol, lollie,
barbie, and chip-butty?

Bob