Approximately 100 years ago, legal action was taken within a certain country to determine whether a botanical product was either a culinary term or something else. What item was at the centre of attention and why?

lanfranco

I'm not doing very well with this. The approximate date suggested the U.S. "Pure Food and Drug Act" of 1906, so I've been wondering whether this might have anything to do with with the coca leaf and the presence of cocaine in Coca-Cola. However, the issues involved there don't quite seem to coincide with the question. I'll keep looking. Oct 18 06, 4:21 PM

peasypod

Ok, I may have been a little cunning with this one. Don't get confused with trying to find a specific culinary term, it's more like something may be classified as one, and very generally at that. A clue. There is a specific reference to a Dickens character, usually portrayed as a 'kind old gentleman'. Oct 18 06, 5:50 PM

wendypj

Is it the humble tomato, which was determined by the US Supreme Court in 1893 to be a vegetable rather than a fruit. The implication being that it was therefore subject to import duty whereas fruits were not. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tomato Oct 18 06, 9:15 PM

peasypod

Nice one wendy, that's the one I was after. Did Mr Pickwick give it away? http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nix_v._Hedden Oct 18 06, 10:47 PM

wendypj

Mr Pickwick lead my thoughts initially to the crocus. Being a keen gardener I have some Pickwick crocus in my garden and thought that saffron may be the answer. One flash of inspiration later....... Anyway, back to the south American/Italian/Spanish/French question.. Oct 18 06, 11:09 PM