Thursday Thoughts 103
Which aren't actually MY thoughts at all, just stuff I've collected from newspapers and old magazines.
A couple of funny quotes first:
1. people say you can't live without love...I think oxygen is more important. (from LeFunny.net)
2. A woman had four different husbands - a banker, an actor, a preacher and an undertaker. With a little help from Blue Suede Shoes, that's one for the money, two for the show, three to get ready and four to go. (from a newspaper clipping several months ago)
the magazine article:
Why 13 to a dozen?
The term Baker's Dozen is said to have originated in 13th century medieval England where bakers would give an extra loaf to safeguard against being penalised for selling a shortweight.
A statute introduced by King Henry 3rd in 1266 called the "Assize of Bread and Ale" outlined strict penalties such as public floggings or fines for bakers who short changed their customers.
The statute was the first law in British history to regulate the production and sale of food and was introduced because some bakers were adding sand to flour to save money and selling underweight bread.
The statute was over ruled in London at the beginning of the 19th century.
Many modern bakers continue to bake items in lots of 13 rather than 12 to ensure there is a complete dozen if one is burned or ruined during baking.
(I'm assuming they no longer give the 13 items these days)
A couple of funny quotes first:
1. people say you can't live without love...I think oxygen is more important. (from LeFunny.net)
2. A woman had four different husbands - a banker, an actor, a preacher and an undertaker. With a little help from Blue Suede Shoes, that's one for the money, two for the show, three to get ready and four to go. (from a newspaper clipping several months ago)
the magazine article:
Why 13 to a dozen?
The term Baker's Dozen is said to have originated in 13th century medieval England where bakers would give an extra loaf to safeguard against being penalised for selling a shortweight.
A statute introduced by King Henry 3rd in 1266 called the "Assize of Bread and Ale" outlined strict penalties such as public floggings or fines for bakers who short changed their customers.
The statute was the first law in British history to regulate the production and sale of food and was introduced because some bakers were adding sand to flour to save money and selling underweight bread.
The statute was over ruled in London at the beginning of the 19th century.
Many modern bakers continue to bake items in lots of 13 rather than 12 to ensure there is a complete dozen if one is burned or ruined during baking.
(I'm assuming they no longer give the 13 items these days)
.png)
Interesting stuff on the bakers...who knew?
ReplyDeletejoeh; I had some idea about underweight loaves, but didn't know about the practice of mixing sand in the flour.
DeleteMy favorite bakery, Great Lakes Baking, does. Or, an extra scone or cookie, whatever.
ReplyDeleteJoanne; lucky you getting an extra cookie etc. I don't think there's many bakers here who do that, most things like cookies or scones come wrapped in packs of six.
DeleteLove that first one....
ReplyDeleteonly slightly confused; me too. reminds me of a birthday card I gave a friend recently. On the front it had "the secret to living a long life is.." and inside it said "keep breathing."
DeleteI'd read about the baker's dozen. Love the 4-husband woman, though ONE is more than enough for me!
ReplyDeleteVal; I love that one about the four husbands, she chose wisely. I don't have any at the moment and plan to stay that way.
DeleteI like the four husbands joke. I didn't know what was behind the baker's dozen. Sand in the bread? It must have been pretty rugged bread to not notice sand in it.
ReplyDeleteAndrew; back in the 17th century I think most foods were pretty rugged. There wasn't the finesse we have these days.
DeleteSome wonderful thoughts. I did know about the bread, and thought to myself that they had 'roughage' in generous quantity.
ReplyDeleteElephant's Child; but is it roughage? I'd think sand is more likely to block the system, but what do I know? I'm no nutritionist. I eat cream cakes for breakfast.
DeleteCindy's Dad worked for his father as a baker, so needless to say that the bakers dozen term is familiar to us, also a lot of instruction when Cindy tries to cook ha ha.
ReplyDeleteJimmy; I think it would be great to know a baker or work for one, you could take home all the "mistakes".
DeleteHa! like that one about the husbands.
ReplyDeleteI'll have to give these some thought...
ReplyDeleteSure glad sandy bread is a thing of the past.
ReplyDeleteAll good to read, thank you.
ReplyDeleteMy favourite was the one about the husbands.
All the best Jan