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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To wonder why.. (brace yourself)

696 replies

BackAgainSlimLady · 24/02/2025 12:29

Single cucumbers from the supermarket come wrapped in plastic.. but single courgettes don’t?

if you ask me.. courgettes have a slightly more fragile skin that cucumber.. so why the lack of protection?

OP posts:
BooomShakeTheRoom · 24/02/2025 18:22

Isn’t it because people cook courgette? So it doesn’t matter if it’s a bit grimy from boxes, hands and tills. Whereas we eat cucumber after a quick rinse so it’s safer to be wrapped?

handsdownthebest · 24/02/2025 18:21

WillIEverBeOk · 24/02/2025 12:55

YANBU. But I had to google 'courgettes'. Very strange word to use. Not sure why you can't say zucchini which is what it is.

It’s a courgette in the UK 🇬🇧 😉

category12 · 24/02/2025 18:21

ChicaWowWow · 24/02/2025 18:16

Also, i learned really recently that cucumbers are supposed to be kept out of the fridge, even once you started eating some. It keeps much longer. Mind blown!

But it dries out?

Now I guess I have to buy 2 cucumbers and keep one in the fridge and one out and see which one lasts longer.

ZookeeperSE · 24/02/2025 18:21

The French don't like their language being butched

Butched? Oh no, you invoked Muphry's Law!

(awaits someone coming for me to say it's Murphy's Law......)

LongDarkTeatime · 24/02/2025 18:19

WillIEverBeOk · 24/02/2025 12:55

YANBU. But I had to google 'courgettes'. Very strange word to use. Not sure why you can't say zucchini which is what it is.

Always remember someone interrupting mine and my US cousin’s chat in a US supermarket. This American guy got very upset as I described how UK and France call them courgettes. He was insistent everywhere (inc France) called them zucchini. He could not grasp zucchini is an Italian word.

NetZeroZealot · 24/02/2025 18:18

Obviously I failed to RTFT ...

BrainWontWorkAnymore · 24/02/2025 18:18

LuluBlakey1 · 24/02/2025 18:12

I have heard it called squash but I live near Newcastle and have always called it 'dilutey juice'.

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Eh? North of Newcastle here and it’s orange squash. Next you’ll be saying you don’t know what monkeys blood is 🍦

NetZeroZealot · 24/02/2025 18:17

WillIEverBeOk · 24/02/2025 12:55

YANBU. But I had to google 'courgettes'. Very strange word to use. Not sure why you can't say zucchini which is what it is.

You do realise this is a UK website?

Courgette is what we call this vegetable in England.

ChicaWowWow · 24/02/2025 18:16

Also, i learned really recently that cucumbers are supposed to be kept out of the fridge, even once you started eating some. It keeps much longer. Mind blown!

BrainWontWorkAnymore · 24/02/2025 18:15

ThisKindOpalCrab · 24/02/2025 14:56

Is it a muffin or a cupcake though?

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Fairy cake! My blue bero book says (or should that be say’s 😉) so

HamptonPlace · 24/02/2025 18:13

ThisKindOpalCrab · 24/02/2025 14:12

You're sure of that?

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only 2 places i've been to anyway, it's a n italian spelling but wouldn't be surprised if there were similar versions in other romance languages. And also perhaps in Canada being America's close neighbour!

LuluBlakey1 · 24/02/2025 18:12

Tarkan · 24/02/2025 16:50

Why is cordial called squash in the UK? As in, the sweet concentrated liquid that you add water to dilute it and make a drink. Flavours include raspberry, sars, ginger, Coola (whatever that is by Cottees), fruit cup, orange, ginger, and lemon lime and bitters. In Australia squash is a type of soft drink, usually lemon flavoured. Possibly only lemon flavoured.

I'm in Scotland and it's usually called diluting juice rather than squash here. Cordial is used as well but they seem to be thicker and more syrupy I think? Lime always seems to be a cordial.

I have heard it called squash but I live near Newcastle and have always called it 'dilutey juice'.

ErrolTheDragon · 24/02/2025 18:11

@Zippidydoodah we’re not all American.

Indeed we're not, that poster is an Australian.😂

Zippidydoodah · 24/02/2025 18:09

WillIEverBeOk · 24/02/2025 12:55

YANBU. But I had to google 'courgettes'. Very strange word to use. Not sure why you can't say zucchini which is what it is.

🙄

we’re not all American.

StormInaDcup99 · 24/02/2025 18:08

Bigearringsbigsmile · 24/02/2025 13:11

No it's not!!

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It is just deserts (but pronounced desserts).....come from the word deserve.

I only realised this about 12 months ago

LuluBlakey1 · 24/02/2025 18:07

WillIEverBeOk · 24/02/2025 12:55

YANBU. But I had to google 'courgettes'. Very strange word to use. Not sure why you can't say zucchini which is what it is.

You must not live in the UK. They are called courgettes here.

JohnTheRevelator · 24/02/2025 18:04

WillIEverBeOk · 24/02/2025 12:55

YANBU. But I had to google 'courgettes'. Very strange word to use. Not sure why you can't say zucchini which is what it is.

I think zucchini is the American word for courgette.

Tarkan · 24/02/2025 18:03

@IHaveAlwaysLivedintheCastle - interesting! I've lived on two sides of the country and never heard anything other than diluting juice. Goes to show that there are always differences.

MrsMattMurdock · 24/02/2025 17:59

I've just Googled "just deserts"! Fascinating! You learn something every day!

Viviennemary · 24/02/2025 17:57

WillIEverBeOk · 24/02/2025 12:55

YANBU. But I had to google 'courgettes'. Very strange word to use. Not sure why you can't say zucchini which is what it is.

It's a courgette.

viques · 24/02/2025 17:56

Bigearringsbigsmile · 24/02/2025 13:00

It's a courgette.

Like what the Americans call an eggplant is actually an aubergine

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Not to mention cilantro and coriander.

SamuelDJackson · 24/02/2025 17:55

Just to ask - after the well hashed aubergine/courgette furore (they are always well hashed due to being mushy and bland)

Anyone still get syboes instead of scallions or spring onions?
And if you do - where do you come from?

steff13 · 24/02/2025 17:49

That's interesting because as someone who lives in the United States I have read several books recently that I could tell even though the book was set in the United States that the author was British, because of the words that were used.

femfemlicious · 24/02/2025 17:47

pwish · 24/02/2025 13:13

Cucumbers are eaten raw and courgettes tend to be cooked?

Best answer 👏🏿

Redheadedstepchild · 24/02/2025 17:43

But have you ever put a cucumber behind a cat, just out of its line of vision to make them jump?

It sounds like quite a cruel thing to do but apparently they think it's a snake. Might be an urban myth or social media hoax but I have no access to either a cat or a cucumber at present to prove it and I don't know anyone who would be happy if I turned up at their house with a cucumber and asked if I could frighten their cat with it. Maybe a few years ago I did but I mix in better circles these days.

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