I had so hoped that merino and meringue were related, but alas they aren't. Spanish merino < LL majorinus 'a larger kind (of animal)' (interesting use of the -inus suffix not for diminuation); French meringue has a troubled etymology, but seems to have ultimately come from Walloon, a French dialect of Belgium. And then there's the maraschino cherry on top of it all. From the syrup in which they are preserved, ultimately from Latin amarus 'bitter' ...