Good Eats
Advertisement

The currant is a variety of small, sweet, seedless black grape named after Corinth (currant) and the Ionian island of Zakynthos (Zante) and not to be confused with the original currants (e.g., blackcurrant, redcurrant, white currant) which are berries of shrubs in the Ribes genus and are in a different family altogether. The name currant apparently comes from the Anglo-French phrase "raisins de Corinthe" (Raisins of Corinth); "Zante" is a recent prefix given to distinguish them from the Ribes berry currants. Unlike blackcurrants, the Zante currant is not a significant source of vitamin C.

Advertisement