Anne's Angst: Raspberry Cordial or Currant Wine


You can't go many places in Canada and not be greeted with a reference from the classic children's book,  set in Canada's Prince Edward Island, Anne of Green Gables.  But I was surprised and delighted to spot bottles of  raspberry cordial at Montreal's Jean-Talon Market. In a pivotal scene in the book, dramatic Anne serves her best friend Diana huge tumblers full of raspberry cordial. Only it's not zesty raspberry cordial but Marilla's  homemade currant wine and Diana stumbles home drunk.  Poor Anne is forever banned from seeing her best friend for getting her in such a wicked state. Sipping the fruity drink, I was transported to weeks reading the Anne of Green Gables books as a child and then reliving them with my daughter decades later. Have you ever seen anything that brought you back to your childhood during your travels?

Comments

katemade designs said…
Reading your post reminded me of an iPhone pic I took at Goodwill to send to my sister. You can see it here: http://www.flickr.com/photos/katemade_designs/6030719331/in/photostream
August 10, 2011 at 8:01 PM
Fly Girl said…
Katie, what memories that pic brings back! Where was this Goodwill?
August 10, 2011 at 8:11 PM
Angela said…
So nice, I was brought back to my childhood with something I absolutely didn't expect when I was in Shanghai. When I was very small (say about 25 years ago!) we had kind of teddy bears called "mon cicì" (written according to Italian pronunciation), then they disappeared completely, I've never seen them again until a couple of months ago in a shop in Shanghai completely devoted to this "monkey-doll". I was stunned, I could have never imagined they still existed!
August 11, 2011 at 4:25 AM
Fly Girl said…
Angela, I remember those dolls! Weren't they the monkeys that could suck their thumbs? It's really bizarre when you're in another country and you are brought back to your childhood.
August 11, 2011 at 6:04 AM
Jean-Luc Picard said…
So interestingh to know what Canadfa think of Anne.
August 11, 2011 at 12:22 PM
Fly Girl said…
Jean-Luc, I don't konw if you're familiar with the books but Anne of Green Gables is beloved all over the world.
August 11, 2011 at 12:57 PM
Ekua said…
Awesome, I will need to find this whenever I happen to go to Canada again. I read those books over and over again and at that part, I always wondered what raspberry cordial tastes like!
August 16, 2011 at 5:14 PM
Fly Girl said…
Ekua, so did I1 Now that I'm an adult, I finally know. It tastes fruity and zesty like raspberry tea but with a syrupy potency.
August 16, 2011 at 5:44 PM
Catherine said…
what a great story - it reminds me of when I went to Prince Edward Island and being stunned at the sight of swathes of young female Japanese tourists all wearing the Ann red braid wigs tucking in to giant lobsters - thanks for the reminder and greetings from France...
August 17, 2011 at 11:35 AM
Fly Girl said…
Catherine, now that's a scene you'll never forget! The Anne books have left a permanent mark on millions of girls all over the world, including me.
August 17, 2011 at 12:20 PM
Thomas | Jus Getaway said…
Ahh if its not food its drinks cant go wrong either way. I think I have been hit by your travel bug Fly Girl I need to travel more. Where you off to next.
August 19, 2011 at 7:45 AM
Rachel Cotterill said…
So which drink was in your bottle? ;)
August 20, 2011 at 10:07 AM
Fly Girl said…
Rachel, Ha! I believe it was the raspberry cordial and not that phantom current wine.
August 22, 2011 at 8:07 AM
Andrew Graeme Gould said…
Discovering new food and drink is one of the great pleasures for me -- in between photographing, of course! I'm afraid I can't answer your question very well on the spot, Rosalind. Not very original, I know, but the only thing I can think of at the moment which goes way back for me is the Heinz ketchup that I find on virtually every table in the US, and here in Canada, where I am at the moment. A big hi to you from Vancouver, then...
August 29, 2011 at 11:40 PM
Fly Girl said…
Andrew, Heinz ketchup is probably a childhood staple for a lot of people. Is it hard to find in Chile?
August 30, 2011 at 5:31 AM
mack reynolds said…
Excellent question! I was in Australia when I happened to see the back of a shirt some guy was wearing. The shirt said Cross Colors, which was a brand of clothing that was super popular when i was in the third grade. I got such a kick out of it I had to take a picture of it. What a funny coincidence.
August 30, 2011 at 1:31 PM
Fly Girl said…
Mack, woh, Cross Colors isn't something I'd ever expect to see again, especially in Australia. Thanks for dropping by.
August 30, 2011 at 2:24 PM
Mack Reynolds said…
No problem! I never thought I'd see that brand ever again. It was pretty awesome while it lasted.
September 21, 2011 at 1:20 PM
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