[linkman214]

Ever since I've read the books and heard about Yennefer smelling like lilac and gooseberries. Here in the states, I don't believe we grow many gooseberries. I've never smelt one, or tasted one. Can someone give an impression to how they smell/taste?

[dragonbird]

We grew our own.

The taste is fairly tart, but with a lot of flavour. My mother preferred to mix them with sweeter fruits in recipes (gooseberry and strawberry crumble - mmmmmm).

I don't really remember the smell that much, a bit like green apple but with a slightly more berryish sweetness? Definitely that green, slightly sour smell. (Am I the only person who describes some smells as "green"?)

[cmdr_silverbolt]

Gooseberries are red, sometimes yellow, and taste like grapes with a bit fleshyness. Imagine eating a ripe apricot that tasted of grapes. The smell is sugary and flowery when you're picking the fruit yourself. It's not too intense though.

[Guy N'wah]

dragonbird said:

We grew our own.

The taste is fairly tart, but with a lot of flavour. My mother preferred to mix them with sweeter fruits in recipes (gooseberry and strawberry crumble - mmmmmm).

I don't really remember the smell that much, a bit like green apple but with a slightly more berryish sweetness? Definitely that green, slightly sour smell. (Am I the only person who describes some smells as "green"?) ›››

Green's a good description. Gooseberries are a (usually) green kind of currant, and they have what you'd call a "green fruit" scent.

Gooseberry wine can get up to about 12% alcohol and can pack a wallop that takes you by surprise.


"Lilac and gooseberries" makes for a very heady combination, like a freshly opened bottle of Champagne in a spring garden.

[cmdr_silverbolt]

I haven't had experience with the green ones that seem a lot more popular. I thought there were only red and yellow ones, but maybe because of the farm we went to.

[Guy N'wah]

cmdr_flashheart said:

I haven't had experience with the green ones that seem a lot more popular. I thought there were only red and yellow ones, but maybe because of the farm we went to. ›››

There are many varieties, including red and yellow ones. The notoriously sour green ones are usually that way because they're a bit short of ripe; they would be more golden if allowed to ripen fully.

[cmdr_silverbolt]

Guy N said:

There are many varieties, including red and yellow ones. The notoriously sour green ones are usually that way because they're a bit short of ripe; they would be more golden if allowed to ripen fully. ›››

Thanks for the info, good to know.

Fruit picking is a mundane activity, but it's also relaxing (that's why I guess). OP: you should search for local farms and pick some of your own gooseberries, then you'll get to know the taste/smell first hand.

[dragonbird]

Guy N said:

There are many varieties, including red and yellow ones. The notoriously sour green ones are usually that way because they're a bit short of ripe; they would be more golden if allowed to ripen fully. ›››

I never saw any colour other than green, and they stayed that colour when ripe. (This was in England). My mother was a great believer in NOT buying fruit and vegetables from shops. We grew enough gooseberries, raspberries, apples to last through the winter, either as bottled fruit or, later, frozen. Our garden soil was wrong for strawberries, so they came from pick-your-own-fruit farms. We grew some brambles and blackcurrents, but most came from bicycle trips to the lanes in the local countrysides, they were freely available from hedgerows. Aaaah, olden days

And gooseberry wine.... Mmmm, thanks for reminding me about that.

[Glaroug]

Yes! I love Keeping up Appearances! "Richard!...RICHARD!"

Interesting. I've never had a gooseberry, but I've seen some pictures. I always assumed a scuppernong like smell and taste like the ones we grow, but they sound like they have a much sweeter taste. Tart and current like you say, that sounds mighty delicious Supermarket is probably my best bet. Looks like those berries would have a hard time surviving in the deep south.

[Guy N'wah]

Glaroug said:

Yes! I love Keeping up Appearances! "Richard!...RICHARD!"

Interesting. I've never had a gooseberry, but I've seen some pictures. I always assumed a scuppernong like smell and taste like the ones we grow, but they sound like they have a much sweeter taste. Tart and current like you say, that sounds mighty delicious Supermarket is probably my best bet. Looks like those berries would have a hard time surviving in the deep south. ›››

They are hardy against the worst winters and will grow where no other fruit will, but they do not like hot climates (that's not much of a problem in the British Isles). In the US they're largely a specialty of New England, the Great Lakes states, and the Pacific fog belt.

California has some native gooseberries; they are not readily tamed, and their fruit is edible (though not much like the English gooseberry). They like foggy places, where they are heavily fragrant and smell of wine.


[Ribes speciosum, Fuchsia-Flowered Gooseberry]

And Hyacinth Bucket three sheets to the wind on gooseberry wine is just awesome.

[cmdr_silverbolt]

Okay all this gooseberry talk got me hankering for some pie, and I looked up a recipe. Thought I'd share:

http://www.canadianl...seberry_pie.php

[Kodaemon]

Seems like we're slowly reaching "what does Tali's sweat taste like" levels here

[Random drowner]

Well, here in Sweden they are lots and lots of Gooseberries. If my memory serves me, we had an extreme amount of varieties that were cultivated, but some of them died out in some kind of plant disease over 150 years ago. Anyway, yes there many varieties, some are better suited for eating directly (many of those actually taste similar to Kiwi if you ask me), others are more tart and are very well suited for jam and such.

[Random drowner]

Kodaemon said:

Seems like we're slowly reaching "what does Tali's sweat taste like" levels here /> ›››

I am just waiting for a new topic being posted about how other parts of her body taste, given the new DLC.

[Kallelinski]

Kodaemon said:

Seems like we're slowly reaching "what does Tali's sweat taste like" levels here ›››

Well, we/they are talking about a parfume not genetics, even though i've to admit that discussion was interesting, from a scientific point of view of course


Also don't forget that parfume reeks of gooseberries and lilac, i'd assume lilac is the more dominant fragrance and those berries are just spicing it up.

There was already a request for a parfume sample in the collectors edition.

[Kinl3y]

Weird fruit to pick for a fragrance if you ask me, the lilac would dominate the scent. But I only have experience with red and white gooseberries, so maybe some varieties have a stronger scent than others. And don't remind of gooseberry wine! The homemade one I drank put me down in a heartbeat, wonderful taste though.

[nocny]

(Google Translator)

In Poland, the most popular is the green gooseberries. Sapkowski was thinking more about the green gooseberries.

Green gooseberries do not have a strong smell. We sometimes had a couple of gooseberry bushes, but only to eat raw. We did not do the gooseberry jam or wine.

I think the scent of lilac and gooseberries have to be in the right proportions. For example 9:1 - for gooseberry. So if someone wants to make cosmetics, it must take nine scoops gooseberries, and one scoop lilac. Or 20 scoops to 1 scoop.

[KnightofPhoenix]

Imagine a cheesy moment of Geralt walking when randomly he smells lilac and gooseberry and smiles, and Yennefer comes behind him.


No.

[valkimedes]

KnightofPhoenix said:

Imagine a cheesy moment of Geralt walking when randomly he smells lilac and gooseberry and smiles, and Yennefer comes behind him.


No. ›››

Well, i hope in TW3 Geralt say something about that perfume, because he love it.

[Kallelinski]

valkimedes said:

Well, i hope in TW3 Geralt say something about that perfume, because he love it. ›››

It's hard to believe he won't mention it, can't remember how many times i read "lilac and gooseberries" in the books.