Alose. Allis shad. A freshwater shad, from a family of white, migratory fish. The shad is a bony, tasty, oily fish similar to herring, which travels up rivers in spring and is found in deep lakes. In France it is found in the Gironde where it is often grilled over vine shoots or stuffed with sorrel, and in the Loire, where it may be stuffed with beurre blanc. The roe is a great delicacy and shad is also used raw in sushi. Members of the family include Allis shad (Alosa alosa) and the smaller twaite shad or gizzard shad (Alosa fallax).
"Espadrilles." These rope-soled shoes give their name to biscuits (US: cookies) in the north, although they can also be fried meat patties.
Queso de Alpujarra is a hard cheese produced from sheep's milk, having an ivory paste and a natural bandaged rind.
Chickweed. A plant which grows wild near streams and on wasteland and may be eaten raw in salads, cooked in the same way as spinach or used to make soup.
Altimussis/altemusis/chochos. In Tenerife, 02/2003, we had small, square, hard, bean-like things which were told were called by these names (or what sounded remarkably like them). A web search for altimussis or any variety results in nothing at all, while that for chochos takes me enthusiastically to a number of porn sites. I’m pretty sure these are the same as lupini, which I have seen in Al Amin. Could you send details (and a picture) to queries@whatamieating.com if you know more?
