Evianers Posted November 26, 2009 Share Posted November 26, 2009 Neftles...............? We were at our international club's Thanksgiving dinner last night.The table was decorated with kakis [we know what they are yum], sour cherries, rosehipsand a very curious looking brownish fruit with spikey top. We asked the French contingentwhat they were: they looked at us as if we were all daft and said "they're neftles of course".Try as we might, no translation service, nor our huge dictionary can give a definition. Wouldthey perhaps be cumquats or loquats [look to me definitely like something in that family]???Thanks for all knowledgeable answers. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
woolybanana Posted November 26, 2009 Share Posted November 26, 2009 nèfles, I think you mean, medlars in English Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bernice Posted November 26, 2009 Share Posted November 26, 2009 "Nefliérs" - they are known as medlars in the UK."Medlar fruits are unusual both in appearance and in their ripening habits. They are very hard and inedible until they start to decay. They will rarely reach this stage by themselves on the tree and need to be harvested as late as possible in November . They should be left in a box in a cool dry place until they turn a dark reddish brown and become soft and juicy. This ripening process is known as "bletting" the medlars. They can then be used to make jams, jellies and medlar cheese." (from Garden Organic website)Bernice Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bernice Posted November 26, 2009 Share Posted November 26, 2009 Sorry - should have said "nefles" - "neflier" is the tree .......[:$]Bernice Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Evianers Posted November 26, 2009 Author Share Posted November 26, 2009 thanks guys.Guess what? looked it up in the OCD and it gives the definition [correct]and afterwards says "Japanese loquat". So our guess was right. NeitherOH nor I have ever heard of medlars - sad, isn't it? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hoddy Posted November 26, 2009 Share Posted November 26, 2009 The only place I've ever come across them is in Shakespeare.Hoddy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Evianers Posted November 26, 2009 Author Share Posted November 26, 2009 [quote user="Hoddy"]The only place I've ever come across them is in Shakespeare.Hoddy[/quote]Yes, they sound and look very mediaeval. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
buelligan Posted November 26, 2009 Share Posted November 26, 2009 Around here (Corbieres), "nefles" are like this; [url]http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Loquat[/url]. Medlars are these; [url]http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mespilus[/url]. As you say Hoddy, they are mentioned in Shakespeare (and other British literature). Often in a rather rude way (see link)! [:D]There are medlar trees growing wild on the hills here. In Basque country (and some other parts of the Pyrenees), medlar wood was used for making beautiful carved weapon/walking sticks by shepherds and the like.Edit: BTW, kumquats or cumquats are something else again..[url]http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kumquat[/url]..and I think I'm going to try growing one next year![:D] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nomoss Posted November 26, 2009 Share Posted November 26, 2009 "Nefle" is translated as "medlar" in most English-French dictionaries, but they are not medlars. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sunday Driver Posted November 26, 2009 Share Posted November 26, 2009 Well, they certainly look like them.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
buelligan Posted November 26, 2009 Share Posted November 26, 2009 Methinks you need a softer cushion on that bike of yours...[:D] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nomoss Posted November 26, 2009 Share Posted November 26, 2009 As far as I have been able to tell, nefles here in France (and Spain where they are called nespres) are Loquats, also known as Japanese medlars http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Loquat , but they are not the same family as the medlar originally found in UK http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MespilusThe leaves are very similar Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sunday Driver Posted November 26, 2009 Share Posted November 26, 2009 Medlars according to the Royal Horticultural Society: http://www.rhs.org.uk/Gardening/Grow-Your-Own/Grow-Your-Own-Fruit/Fruit-A-to-Z/MedlarsNèfles according French wikipedia:http://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/N%C3%A8fleStill look the same to me....[;-)] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chris pp Posted November 26, 2009 Share Posted November 26, 2009 We have masses of them this year, I give them to the dog, (not all at once)!Chris Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
buelligan Posted November 26, 2009 Share Posted November 26, 2009 Yes Driver! The RHS link definitely shows a medlar and the French Wiki link shows one too! If you check the latin name for loquat (Eriobotrya japonica) on French Wiki you get [url]http://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eriobotrya_japonica[/url] - a nefle du Japon. The latin name for medlar (Mespilus germanica) in French Wiki produces [url]http://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mespilus_germanica[/url]. Both nefles then, but, I imagine, from Evianers' description that it was the medlar not the loquat he/she saw.[:D] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nomoss Posted November 26, 2009 Share Posted November 26, 2009 Voir aussi Nèfle du Japon http://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/N%C3%A8fle_du_Japon these are what are grown around here and sold in the shops as nèfles. I guess they use the same common name, but those I am given/buy here don't have to be kept until rotten before eating, like medlars in England, which my aunt used to grow. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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