Wednesday, December 9, 2009

Wondrous Words Wednesday - December 9, 2009

Wondrous Words Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted by Kathy aka Bermuda Onion where we share new (to us) words that we’ve encountered in our reading. Feel free to join in the fun.

THE BODY IN THE SLEIGH by Katherine Hall Page

cormorant - A beautiful child with rosy cheeks -- Rosa rugosa cheeks -- and shiny dark fine hair, like cormorant feathers, escaping from the hooded snowsuit. (p. 3)

cormorant: any of several voracious, totipalmate seabirds of the family Phalacrocoracidae, as Phalacrocorax carbo, of America, Europe, and Asia, having a long neck and a distensible pouch under the bill for holding captured fish, used in China for catching fish.

rennet - Every time she added the rennet and returned the next day to her curds and whey, she was as pleased at the way nature worked as she had been the first time. (p. 206)

rennet: a preparation or extract of the rennet (the lining membrane of the fourth stomach of a calf or of the stomach of certain other young animals) membrane, used to curdle milk, as in making cheese, junket, etc.

LADY VERNON AND HER DAUGHTER by Jane Rubino and Caitlen Rubino-Bradway

turbot - The fishmonger, who kept a stew pond, had sent a supply of whitebait only that morning (Vernon having an insatiable appetite for delicacy), and Frederica repressed a smile as she determined that the portion of turbot was insufficient for twelve, so her uncle must sacrifice his private indulgence to hospitality. (p. 195)

turbot:
a European flatfish, Psetta maxima, having a diamond-shaped body: valued as a food fish.

What new words did you discover this week?

7 comments:

Beth Kephart said...

Have you had your rennet today?

bermudaonion said...

I actually knew the first 2 because Vance went to see cormorant birds when he was in Japan and I've used rennet to make cheese before. (You never knew I was so domestic, did you?) Turbot is new to me, though. Thanks for participating!

rhapsodyinbooks said...

I remember seeing "rennet" all the time on the boxes for Junket which I've seen because it's usually next to boxes of Jello. If you look up junket it says "A dessert made from flavored milk and rennet." From your definition of rennet you can see why Junket doesn't want to be too forthcoming!

Lisa notes... said...

Hope I have no use for rennet today or any day. ha. Nice list.

Stephanie said...

"Turbot" is new to me too. Great list!

Anonymous said...

I knew turbot was a fish! yea for me.

Margot said...

I like the memory that rennet brought back to me. I used to be able to buy it all the time for making aspics and cheeses. I don't know if they even sell that any more. I'll have to look.