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The asker opted for community grading. The question was closed on 2017-07-24 14:54:08 based on peer agreement (or, if there were too few peer comments, asker preference.)
Spanish to English translations [PRO] Food & Drink / Menu
Spanish term or phrase:Tierra de chocolate
This is included in the dessert list. I was thinking of something along the lines of 'chocolate shavings' but since it's the main part of the dessert I'm not sure that would work.
Explanation: Seriously. All the examples of tierra de chocolate I can find are literally chocolate designed to look like earth, and are clearly derived from Heston Blumenthal's chocolate soil. Or maybe Heston got it from Ferran Adrià; I'm not sure.
Here's a description of the one at El Bulli in 2007:
"30) Tierra. Este postre me encantó. Se trata de un divertidísimo plato de chocolates liofilizados que imita a la perfección un puñado de tierra (graciosísimo el gusano de chocolate) El plato, además de simpático, estaba francamente bueno (y eso que yo no soy muy aficionado a los postres de chocolate)" https://ricardtena.wordpress.com/2007/09/ And here's a picture of it: https://ricardtena.files.wordpress.com/2010/02/30.jpg
-------------------------------------------------- Note added at 23 hrs (2017-07-21 21:22:20 GMT) --------------------------------------------------
It's a pleasure, Helen, and thanks very much for your consideration. I'm sorry your question gave rise to some unfortunate comments, and I quite understand it was unpleasant for you. I can be a bit impatient and dogmatic at times and this can come across as arrogance, so I take my share of the blame. Anyway, water under the bridge.
I have taken some time to think before adding a final comment to this discussion.
Firstly, Robert, l would like to clarify that it was never my intention to offend anyone or appear ungrateful. If you read through the comments you will see that several participants voiced their concerns regarding the turn the conversation had taken at one point - it was this to which I was referring earlier and thought it best to suspend comments.
I would like to reiterate that my closing of the question was in no way a reflection of my disregard for the effort people had made in offering suggestions, but was instead a reaction to the misuse of the forum.
The Kudoz forum offers us all chance to help each other out, and I personally find it disheartening that many use it as an opportunity to make presumptions about individuals they know very little, if anything, about.
Having personally thanked Charles for his efforts, I have now left it up to the group to decide who should be awarded maximum points. Thanks again to everyone who offered suggestions.
Helen: Charles provided you with a suggestion backed by very solid references. He took the time to do the research to back up his answer. He also did not write anything in his various contributions to this discussion that could be reasonably deemed "unprofessional."
In short, it seems perverse for you to have closed the question without awarding him points. It is also manifestly false that you were "forced" to close the question without grading.
Does that mean you are going to ignore all the references provided by Charles and you aren't going to use his answer for the same reason? Where was Charles unprofessional?
I would like to make clear that I am extremely grateful to everyone who has participated in the discussion. However, I was forced to close questions on account of the unprofessional comments made here.
Personally I do not find Blumenthal's style of cuisine appetising (I can't afford it anyway so that is fine!!). But his "chocolate soil" seems to be quite popular with Spanish readers.
is usually apple or rhubarb (or other fruits). However, An important criterion for me when translating menus is that it should sound appetising and tempting. And I must admit that if I saw chocolate crumble on a menu, I probably order it to see what it was like, whereas chocolate soil doesn't have the same effect. Then again, I might just order it for its oddness.
Just as some people can't bear the sight or sound of certain words, "moist" being a well-known case in point, I find the same with "soil". I just can't bring myself to find it appetising.
A crumble, which is a very familiar dessert in the UK, is made from flour, butter and sugar. You put the flour and sugar in a bowl then rub the flour and butter together to make a breadcrumb texture, in this case mixed with chocolate. Then bake it. Recipes for "crumble" in Spanish show that it means this, and that's been my experience in Spain. A chocolate soil is made by starting to make a caramel with sugar and water, stopping just as it starts to change colour, adding the chocolate and stirring vigorously. No flour and no butter.
I was interested that Veroblei, who appears to be familiar with the dish in Spanish, said "Tierra de chocolate is also called crumble de chocolate in Spanish." I'm not questioning Charles' answer anymore, but I do think using the term 'chocolate soil' on a menu would depend on the type of restaurant.
As far as I am concerned, the point of participating in Kudoz is to provide correct translations of the posted terms. Charles seems to have done just that here, and he has supported his suggestion with what look to be solid references.
