Vladimir Nabokov

NABOKV-L post 0021995, Mon, 12 Sep 2011 13:51:43 -0300

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Re: candied fruit jellies
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Laurence Hochard: "As a matter of fact, candied fruit are "fruits confits", which are quite different from "pâtes de fruit". Candied fruit are whole or sliced fruit or even orange or lemon peel dipped into boiling sugar syrup until the fruit is imbibed to the core, whereas "pâtes de fruit" are made of very thick jelly, so solid that the jelly can be cut into bars and rolled in granulated sugar.
It doesn't solve the mystery of Nabokov's "candied fruit jellies" though..."

JM: The "pates de fruit" (following SB's indications and now L.Hochard's) demand fruits, sugar and pectin: a sophisticated treat!
I think that they resemble certain sweets which, when bitten, feel like fruit-flavored "Turkish Delight." (did "Pale Fire's" gardens of delight and Flemish hells refer to them?*), although their recipes contain different ingredients, not pectin.

Perhaps Nabokov was familiar (he seems to have had a sweet-tooth?) with St.Petersburg's "marmelady" and that these might have corresponded to his undictionarized "candied fruit jellies"? (there are also "fruit jellies" cut out in the shape of flowers and fruit, which may be sold as candies, kept in jars like glorious jujubes)

If "jelly" is the UK word for "jam," VN's "jellies" might have derived from his Cambridge, England experience. However, Charles Schulze's character Linus seems to have been inordinately fond of an American jelly found together with peanuts (the "peanutbutter-and-jelly" sandwich). Did Vera enjoy cooking? Suddenly I found myself curious about Vladimir Nabokov's favorite dishes and eating routines...

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* "scorn hereafter none can verify:/ The Turk's delight, the future lyres, the talks/With Socrates and Proust in cypress walks,/The seraph with his six flamingo wings,/And Flemish hells with porcupines and things?"

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