What type of sole is actually a flounder and did not, in spite of appearances, get its name from the way in which it is usually served, but either from its raspy skin (French link) or from its mud-loving habits (Latin link)?

TheBoyPipe

The Lemon Sole. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lemon_sole It is a member of the Pleuronectidae or Righteye Flounder family. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pleuronectidae Apr 10 07, 3:54 PM

Flem-ish

That's the fish indeed, but how did it get its "wrong" name? Apr 10 07, 7:22 PM

TheBoyPipe

According to the link below, the name derives from the French word "limande", meaning flat-fish. Limande is in turn possibly derived from either the French word "lime" meaning rasp or file, or the Latin word "limus" meaning mud. http://www.randomhouse.com/catalog/display.pperl?isbn=9780375702983&view=excerpt Apr 11 07, 10:47 PM

Flem-ish

That's it! As the limande looks a lot like a sole to call it a lemon sole was a clever selling-trick. The fish seems to be quite popular with housewives as a substitute for "real", but expensive sole. Another remarkable name is Dover Sole as if such sole had been caught near Dover. Apr 12 07, 1:30 AM

TheBoyPipe

Well, as the son of a former commercial fisherman from south Essex, I can confirm that Dover Sole is caught in the Thames Estuary, not far north of Dover. However, from a quick google it seems that there are a couple of different soles bearing the name Dover, and not all are found over here. Apr 12 07, 10:00 PM