I just learnt that black pepper is NOT made from the dried seeds of bell peppers...

[LylaLee]

I'm really surprised. I wonder what else I think I 'know' which is wrong.

Yes, I guess it only works if you're not Irish.
Bill to Kill is a huge leap to me, not at all in the pattern of Irish names. Kill has meaning - it's from Cill, said the same way, which means church in Irish and also in Scottish which is where the Kil in Kilmarnock comes from too.

There's a Kilmarnock House in Dublin btw.

Oh, that's interesting! Like Kirk.

If you don't speak English and heard the name 'Smith', then the surnames Rith or Thith wouldn't sound out of place, but they are nothing like the common name of Smith. Maybe there's someone out there with that as a surname, but it doesn't equate to Smith.

Yes, I guess it only works if you're not Irish.

I'm not Irish, and it doesn't work. Nothing alike.

If it were Ballericay it might sound slightly Irish. I always thought Billericay sounds more like it should be in Spain!

This seems an appropriate thread to link this cartoon to https://xkcd.com/1053/

I think it's always good to learn something new so OP, you are one of today's lucky 10, 000.

Like Kirk.

Similar meaning but different languages.

Yes, that's what I meant. The same meaning as part of a place name.

@Zamzamzamdeedah similar to Kapia peppers but smaller. We used to make hot paprika with small cherry peppers.

Surely you must be pronouncing one of them wrong??

Fairly certain there's no Irish place names containing ericay either though. Is there?

I understand the OP wrt County Durham. There are lots of counties on the island or Ireland named "County xxx" whereas Durham is the only one in Great Britain.

Growing up, during the era before the Good Friday agreement when Gerry Adams was dubbed on the news, you'd hear references to "County xxx" on the news on an almost daily basis. Not at all daft to assume Durham was on the island of Ireland until you know differently.

The point is people know there is no other place in England with a name like that. And it looks & sounds 'Irish' to many people.

You might not see it, but it is a very, very common error for those specific reasons.

And it looks & sounds 'Irish' to many people.

Well it shouldn't.
They are all sadly (and badly) misguided.
And now you know.
You're welcome 😉

I think pink peppercorns are related to cashews?
I think I read somewhere that people with cashew nut allergies should perhaps avoid them.

They do. Many are omnivorous, some such as Goosanders and mergansers have bills particularly suited to fish eating.

rangerplanet.com/do-ducks-eat-fish-which-ones-eat-fish-and-what-else-do-ducks-eat/

I think the idea that capers might be something similar to anchovies may just be because they're both used as very salty accent type of thing eg on pizzas?

Capers on pizza is a new one for me!

Billericay does not sound Irish to me in the slightest. And there’s a Billerica in Kent. I can see why County Durham might be confused - except for the Durham bit.

Pepperoni ain’t a small fish either!

I've never heard it said out loud. Just the way it looks. Never heard of Billerica either.

Mirabai · Today 11:50

Pepperoni ain’t a small fish either!

I know, they're huge!

The ‘Mary Rose’ did not sink on her maiden voyage apparently, and those in the know are a bit puzzled about why so many think she did. I’ve believed that for years 😳 https://maryrose.org/blog/historical/museum-blogger/the-myth-of-the-maiden-voyage/

@RosaGallica I've never heard that, was she supposed to have done so? Titanic muddle?!

That's not true. There's not lots of counties names County x. There's 32 counties in Ireland, none called County x. It's just Cork or Dublin or Mayo etc. What county are you from, answer, Longford. No idea where you've got that idea from.

It is somehat daft I think 😁. Durham...

I was surprised when I discovered what paprika is made from. I can’t eat peppers because they not only taste rank to me but they also cause me extreme indigestion. Chillis don’t. So I assumed that paprika must have been made from dried chilli because I’m fine with it