English Loaves Have Confusing Names

Press, Volume CI, Issue 29913, 29 August 1962, Page 2

English Loaves Have Confusing Names

[By

MAUREEN EPPSTEINI

LONDON. The shelves of a baker’s shop anywhere "in New Zealand will be much the samepiled high with round-topped double loaves in brown and white, square white sandwich loaves, and pre-cut wrapped bread. Although North Islanders and South Islanders may argue for hours over whether the broken half of the double loaf should be called a “half” or a “quarter,” they will usually be able to make themselves understood in anv bakerv.

Imagine, then, the confusion of a New Zealand housewife confronted with the window of an English bakery filled with loaves in an incredible variety of shapes and sizes. Some of the shapes are wonderfully decorative. There will be long thin loaves and short fat ones, some decorated with grain and some with shining glazes. There will be complicated plaits and squat little knots, enormous swelling crusty loaves and incredibly long elegant rolls that look as if they have been transplanted from the Continent.

The vagaries of English social custom have established different names for these traditional shapes from town to town, and sometimes even from shop to shop in the same town.

The biggest and crustiest loaf of them all is usually called a “farmhouse.” It is a tall white loaf, often bursting from a long crack in its top. It has a close relation in the “split tin,” which does not appear to be split at all, but merely a white loaf, again with a cracked top. baked in a narrow oblong tin. These loaves are not to be confused with the “Danish." which is not baked in a tin at all, but rises as a large oval loaf dusted with white flour, from a flat tray.

Then there are the more elaborate shapes, such as the “cottage.” often confused with the “farmhouse.” The “cottage.” is made with two balls of dough, the smaller being set like a top-knot on top of the larger. Even more complicated is the double plait, which consists, as its name implies, of two plaits of dough set one on top of the other Some of the small round loaves have fascinating names. There is a ball of rich wholemeal bread decorated with wheat grains which is called, appropriately enough, a “round meal,” but the white ball, this time with a shining brown glaze, is known as a “cob.” This is reputed to be short for “coburg.” but where this name, came from few seem to know. ' ‘Welsh Babs” The origins of other names are more obvious. One delicious scone loaf, which is sold in quarter segments of a large flat disk, is known in most shops as “Scotch fare.” In Wales, however, they are sold as “Welsh babs.” A small light white loaf with a shiny glazed crust decorated with diagonal slashes, and known as a “Continental,” has a large elder brother with various titles, but usually known as a “twist,” or a “bloomer ” This odd name can cause difficulties, and it has happened that an order for “A large bloomer, thank-you,” has met with raised eye-brows from the uninitiated. In most shops it is safer to point: “That one over there,” and then to politely ask the name of the specimen as it is being wrapped up.