Fruits of the Forest

Translations on menus in Eastern European restaurants can be misleading. A menu in a Polish restaurant advertised a soup made of "forest fruits." Now, Eastern Europe cuisine offers many cold soups made of berries and fruit. This soup, however, was not made of fruit, but of fungus. "Forest fruits" was someone's way of saying "mushrooms" in English. Nevertheless, mushroom soup is delicious - just as delicious as strawberry soup or blueberry soup.

If you're in doubt and not feeling adventurous, ask your server to clarify what's written on the menu. You may get a proper explanation of what you're about to order. Or, you may get a blank stare. If you aren't comfortable ordering something that sounds unusual, choose a dish with which you're more familiar, instead.