Fruit fool derive it from the French verb "fouler" meaning "to crush" or "to press" (in the context of pressing grapes for wine), but this derivation is dismissed by the "Oxford English Dictionary" as baseless and inconsistent with the early use of the word. Originally, the most common fruit ingredient in fools was gooseberries, although other fruits and berries are known from early recipes, e.g., apples, strawberries, rhubarb and raspberries. Modern recipes may include any seasonal fruit readily found, but gooseberry fool remains the perennial favorite. Norfolk fool is an old local variation of the fruit fool which seems to treat the
Fruit brandy used similar to "cordials", and as an ingredient in cocktails and cakes. Fruit brandies obtained by distillation are often referred by the French term eau de vie. Fruit brandy usually contains 40% to 45% ABV (80 to 90 US proof). It is often colourless. Fruit brandy is customarily drunk chilled or over ice, but is occasionally mixed. Including some of the above, there are about 80 different kinds of fruit brandies in the European Union, registered with protected designations of origin from Germany, France, Italy, Portugal, Luxembourg, Austria, Hungary, Slovakia, Bulgaria, Romania and Spain. Most of these fruit brandies are