SC - Substitution vs Accuracy

[Philip & Susan Troy]

"Decker, Terry D." wrote:
> 
> I did a little searching and came up with a small problem.  What we in the
> U.S. call blackberries are actually black raspberries.  They do exude a dark
> blue juice and have a taste of their own, but they were imported into Europe
> in recent times.

I assume black raspberries are structurally similar to red raspberries?
When mostly ripe, they can be slipped off a sort of cone attached to the
stem, leaving no stem or leaf structure attached to the fruit pulp portion?

If so, those aren't the blackberries I see in the markets on the East
Coast of the U.S.. These are large, averaging an inch or so long, come
attached to stem structure like a mulberry, with a "core" that is more
or less an integral part of the berry. I've seen them in both red and
dark blue forms; it's _possible_ red ones are unripe blue ones, I
suppose. I assume wild ones would be smaller. 
 
> Rubus idaeus, which is definitely a red raspberry, is the only European
> member of this group.  The American variant is R. idaeus var. strigosus.
 
> The primary species known as blackberries are R. occidentalis (AKA blackcap
> or thimbleberry) and R. leucodeamis (AKA western black raspberry).
 
> Right now, I'm wondering if the blackberry of the recipe may not be a black
> currant.

I suppose that's possible, but even if the "blackberry" of modern
English-speaking North America _is_ actually a raspberry, it doesn't
necessarily follow that the blackberry referred to in an Italian
renaissance recipe is anything but a blackberry, does it? I'm not sure I
understand the reasoning here. Does the fact (which my own experience,
locally, disputes) that Americans call raspberries blackberries really
prove there's been some kind of translator's error, with black currants
seeming more likely?
  
Unless I'm vastly mistaken, you don't seem to be saying there is no
European version of a true blackberry. Or is that what you're saying?
Confused. At a loss. Please advise.

Adamantius
- -- 
Phil & Susan Troy

troy at asan.com
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