Important Fruit Clarification and Dunnett Connection

The dried currants which we buy at the store (usually from Sun-Maid) are not the dried form of the fruit "currant" (which I always associate with Grandma B.) but rather a dried grape. The "Zante Currant" is actually the name of a grape. Wikipedia explains the confusion of names. The Currant Company rather vociferously huffs and puffs about the confusion of names.

The anti-oxidant benefits of currants apply to true currants (a Ribes) and not to zante currants (Vitis vinefera). So don't go pouring them in your batter thinking they'll make your cream scones healthy -- you'll have to get some true dried ribes for that. (And perhaps cut out the cream, the refined sugar and the white flour, too.)

The Dunnett connection is too totally obvious. Zante Currants are named for the island of Zakynthos, where of course our lovely Philippa discovers peachy sweet Kuzum. The naming confusion comes from the old French "raisins de Corauntz" -- which language, of course, our Philippa spoke (had she not been a fictional character).

(Photo not mine; from a website.)