"Bright fish." Bleak. A small, elongated, white-fleshed fish, abundant in the lakes and quiet waterways of the alpine region, particularly Lake Maggiore. Its scales, which are thin and silvery, come away easily. The flesh of the pond bleak is of poor quality, but that of the river variety is fairly good, though full of little bones. It is about 15 cm (6 inches) long and invariably served fried.
Acerola. A small, thin-skinned, cherry-like fruit, smaller and sweeter than a loquat or medlar, and is rich in vitamin C. The fruits have five stones which clump together so they can seem like one, orange-yellow flesh and grow on a tree originally from Brazil and the West Indies. They have a slightly acidic, raspberry-like flavour and are usually used in desserts, preserves and purées. They can be dried for later use and, where the climate is sunny and warm, may ripen well for eating out of hand.
