[corvan]

"Caramel," when pronounced with three syllables, indicates a liquid at room temperature. When pronounced with two syllables, "caramel" indicates a solid. They are spelled the same. 

e.g. "ice cream with a caramel ribbon" vs. "carmel (sp) apple"

 

[foodpump]

Uhhhh.. who invented that description?

If they are spelled the same, then they all have three syllables. Then again "ice cream with a caramel ribbon" is not spelled the same as "carmel apple". Even my (US english) spell checker highlighted "carmel" on this post.....

 

[michaelga]

"Caramel," when pronounced with three syllables, indicates a liquid at room temperature. When pronounced with two syllables, "caramel" indicates a solid. They are spelled the same.

e.g. "ice cream with a caramel ribbon" vs. "carmel (sp) apple"

zoinks... what planet you from bro?

 

[french fries]

Uhhhh.. who invented that description?

Corvan.

Then again "ice cream with a caramel ribbon" is not spelled the same as "carmel apple". Even my (US english) spell checker highlighted "carmel" on this post.....

That's because "carmel" is the wrong spelling:

http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/carmel

http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/caramel

Even Google shows this:

carmel.png

• french fries
• Feb 28, 2013

 

[wordiekline]

"Caramel" translates to Carmelo in Basque. "Caramel" translates to Carmel in Irish. "Caramel" translates to Karmel in Polish. There is no right answer. I guess your pronunciation of the word that describes this delicious substance depends on your heritage or the heritage of the people who owned your local bakery. 

 

[bakerzdosen]

Pronunciation is regional. Nothing more, nothing less.

http://read.bi/139K1iw

 

[cookin]

The dictionary s give both ways of saying it in their phonetic breakdown. ...so maybe both are right.

Screenshot_2013-07-08-22-57-43.png

• cookin
• Jul 9, 2013

 

[paigely]

I have to agree with the regional response. I grew up in the northwest USA calling it carmel. I had thought caramel and carmel were virtually the same, except caramel was the gooier form whereas carmel was firm. I moved to the Midwest, and most people here say caramel. If I'd called it that back home, people would have thought I was putting on airs.

Words change. I would like to suggest people get over it. If you want another good example, our European friends get really irritated by our pronunciation of the element Al, aluminum (a-loo-min-um) in the US, and aluminium (al-yoo-min-ee-um) in Europe. My metallurgy professor in college said that an early US aluminum manufacturers misspelled it, not knowing the proper spelling. It has been misspelled in the US ever since, and is now an accepted part of our vernacular. Do any of the American chefs/cooks want to get righteously uptight that we should be using aluminium foil in our kitchens rather than aluminum foil?

Sorry if I'm being too blunt; I understand peeves. That said, languages change. The only language I know of that doesn't change is Latin. That is why it is referred to as a dead language.

 

[berndy]

Nice to have someone from Carmel in here. I remember Carmel very much: it was where I had first driver's test and then got my Driver's license here in the states At the time I was living in Jefferson Valley and was working in Mahopac, NY.

I never thought of connecting Carmel with Caramel.

 

[ishbel]

CARAMEL!

That.
'S the way to say it. All this 'carmel'? Naaaaaaaaah

 

[chefsluggo]

Reading all of these made me ask my CMPC from culinary school and he said there is a difference, carmel is burned sugar hard crack and caramel is burnt sugar with dairy and or butter.

 

[foodnfoto]

Reading all of these made me ask my CMPC from culinary school and he said there is a difference, carmel is burned sugar hard crack and caramel is burnt sugar with dairy and or butter.

Then the guy is a nitwit and should not be anyone's culinary instructor.

Caramel-3 syllables-is a sugar concoction. Carmel (in NY-CAR mel, in CA-car MEL, don't know how they say it in Israel) is a place. That's it.

Genoise is still genoise whether it has cocoa in it or not.

 

[chrisbelgium]

Reading all of these made me ask my CMPC from culinary school and he said there is a difference, carmel is burned sugar hard crack and caramel is burnt sugar with dairy and or butter.

It's hard to believe that a culinary instructor invents the existence of something called "carmel"! What other nonsense does this person share with his students?
There's soft caramel and hard caramel and there's indeed a caramel made with sugar and butter added, which is also known as "toffee".

 

[Iceman]

WOW. LOL too.

It amazes me and really cracks me up that the idea of a simple vocabulary word, whether it is correct or incorrect, can cause such an excited conversation.

 

[chefsluggo]

Indeed iceman indeed... people get all riled up..

 

[carterbeard]

Whoever made this statement was incorrect and has given you bad information.

Caramel is a food product -- flavor, candy, icing, topping, etc., made from melted sugar which is browned to some level and often involves additions like cream, butter, vanilla, or sea salt.  It is pronounced just like it's spelled -- cair uh mul.

Carmel (KAR' mul) is a mountain in Israel.  Although this mispronunciation is part of the vernacular those who don't know any better, it does NOT refer to any food product.

Carmel (kar MEL') is a resort town on the coast of California.

Say it like you mean it -- and say it correctly!

 

[foodpump]

Tell that to the media....

Now, how about "Herbs"?

With or without the "H"?

As in "The Colonel's secret blend of 17 "erbs" and spices"...........

 

[chrisbelgium]

It is pronounced just like it's spelled -- cair uh mul...

Say it like you mean it -- and say it correctly!

This is where all the confusion starts, the english pronounciation of a French word.

Maybe, just maybe, this whole discussion would not have taken place if it were spelled correctly; kahr-ah-mell (and emphasis on "mell")

God, I hope I didn't open another can of worms now...

 

[wafflegod]

I remember seeing about it on the History channel.

Yes there is a difference from what I've always been told. Caramel is the softer of the two like in a Snicker's or Milkyway. Carmels tend to be harder like in English toffee. Carmel is also a name of a city in a few states. Either way it's merely the same thing. Just one is softer and the other harder.

 

[chefwatson3745]

It is the same thing!

Thanks,

Chef Watson