ribbescobb
/ˈrɪb.ə.skɒb/
n.
1.
The crunchy, dusty fragments remaining at the bottom of a bag of cereal or crisps once the majority has been consumed; often considered by connoisseurs to be the most flavorful portion.
2.
(by extension) Something of overlooked value; the good stuff everyone else left behind.
Etymology
Of obscure origin, possibly from Low German ribbe (to scrape or rake) + Middle Dutch scob (shavings, chaff). First attested in the 1597 pantry inventory of Goedkoop Abbey, Bruges: "Of the ribbescobb there remained a full measure, which the prior kept for himself, as was his custom."
The term fell out of common usage during the 18th century, surviving primarily in rural dialects of the Low Countries, before being rediscovered by linguists in the early 2000s during a survey of untranslatable food-related terms.
Usage note
Not to be confused with ribbeskab (Dan., "a currant bush"), though some etymologists maintain a shared Proto-Germanic root relating to small, clustered things of surprising sweetness.
She poured the ribbescobb directly into her mouth over the sink, as God intended.
— Mrs. Beeton's Book of Household Management, 1861 (apocryphal)
See also:
scoblings (n., the act of searching for ribbescobb) ·
ribbeskimmer (n., one who takes only from the top, leaving the best behind)