On Tue, 06 Jul 2004 17:13:07 -0500, Olivers >
wrote:

>RWO extrapolated from data available...
>
>>
>> The Bay of Abu Qir, Egypt, between the Rosetta mouth of the Nile and
>> Alexandria, is where the English defeated a French fleet in August
>> 1798.
>>
>> There is a cake (bombe) which has chestnut cream in it, named Aboukir,
>> and there is a petit-four made with almond paste and whole almonds,
>> also named Aboukir.
>
>Were I guessing (in an educated fashion), I would ascribe the cake to the
>fairly common Georgian tradition of naming dishes "featured" at celebratory
>dinners for heroes, victories and the like Given the loss by magazine
>explosion of the French flagship at Aboukir, a "bombe" seems particulary
>fitting type dessert for connection to the naval engagement. Menu items
>like this showed up at Lord Mayor's dinners honoring heroes and the like,
>and certainly "fit" the tone and tenor of the times.
>
>The almond paste/almond petit four seems more likely a connection between
>the substantial almond crop in the area, and the Larouuse entry may well be
>the confirming evidence. Aboukir was never much if any of a port, and all
>trade in the region flowed through Alex.
>
>>
>> Any solid proof of a connection between the name of the place and the
>> name of the two desserts. My Larousse Gastronomique mentions Aboukir
>> Almonds but gives no background on the name; Alan Davidson is silent
>> on the topic (in The Penguin Companion to Food). No mention that I can
>> see in "A Culinary History of Food" (Flandrin et Montanari).
>
>TMO

well-reasoned, but the sticking point is, why would the French name
dishes to commemorate defeats? (after all, there would be so many,
wouldn't there? grin)