American Readers(and others too)

[Rumil]

Hi Nuranar,

American corn always seems to be what we'd describe as maize, whereas corn in Britain can mean any cereal grain, like wheat or barley. Paradoxically corn-on-the-cob is indeed maize too, though off the cob it'd be called sweetcorn.

We don't grow much in the way of maize in the UK - too cold and wet probably.

Meanwhile cobs can be bread rolls, which are baps, but can also be ponies or small horses, or male swans I think!

There are probably dozens of different words for breads and hundreds for cakes, maybe even hundreds and thousands
if you include puddings as well and thats just in English, let alone Welsh, Gaelic, Manx and Cornish.

[Sophia the Thunder Mistress]

To jump back several days, Rumil said:

I haven't encountered seed cake for years though I vaguely remember my gran making it long ago (or perhaps - shock horror - it was 'bought in' ). It was quite a light dry sort of cake in 'large cake format' around half a loaf of bread in size, containing seeds of unknown provenance, perfect for consumption with a nice cuppa. Naturally the dwarves, as us Brits used to in ages past, accompanied it with ale. Methinks an experiment is in order if I can find anywhere that still makes it. Any ideas from 'cheeky Brits'?

I'm no cheeky Brit, but I am a New Englander, where I think we may be closer to it than most Americans. And more, I believe I know your seed cake. My mother makes something fitting your description nicely. It's a loaf shaped cake, rather yellow inside with a brownish crust all around, slightly crumbly, faintly lemony, and filled with poppy seeds. We call it, sensibly, poppy seed cake, and it looks something like this.

Mmmmm. A favorite of mine. And definitely what I picture Bilbo serving the dwarves. I understand his reluctance completely.

Sophia

[Edit] Excuse my ignorance, Rumil, but what is Manx? As far as I've always known it's a breed of cat? Is it a language/dialect as well?

[Eruanna]

Wasn't it George Bernard Shaw who said that America and Britain are two countries divided by a common language?
This thread proves him right!

Apart from all of the differences in spelling and misconceptions about various foods; there is one thing that has always puzzled me. I like to cook and have often wanted to try recipes from America. However, I haven't yet managed to find out, exactly how much is a 'cup'?

Sophia, your Seed cake certainly sounds like the one my mother used to make.

For those looking to try Vegemite...don't bother, 'tis but a pale shadow of the delight that is Marmite

[Sophia the Thunder Mistress]

I believe a 'cup' is equivalent to a half-pint. Pretty sure you Brits know how much that is.

[Formendacil]

Originally Posted by Sophia the Thunder Mistress

[Edit] Excuse my ignorance, Rumil, but what is Manx? As far as I've always known it's a breed of cat? Is it a language/dialect as well?

I'm neither a Noldorin scribe named Rumil, nor even a Brit, but I think I can answer this question.

To the best of my knowledge, Manx refers to the Isle of Man, a largish isle situated between Great Britain and Ireland, and home to an indigenous, Celtic-style culture. I also believe that the tail-less Manx cats come from here.

[Lalwendë]

The Isle of Man also has a strong Viking heritage, and it has the oldest parliament in the world, the Tynwald. Manx is not a living language in the same way as Welsh and Irish Gaelic, which are used on a day to day basis as a first language by many native speakers, but it is undergoing a strong revival, as is the Cornish language.

Culturally, the Isle of Man is interesting with the influence of not only the Vikings and the English, but also two different Celtic cultures, Scotland and Ireland.

I wonder what they call 'cake' there?

[piosenniel]

cake:

jannoo keeak ~ cake

keeak tey ~ tea cake

berreen ~ cake
berreen charvish ~ seedcake
berreen corkey ~ oatcake
berreen Elveishagh ~ Swiss roll
berreen ghryle ~ girdle cake, slapjack
berreen mess ~ slabcake
berreen oarn ~ barleycake
berreen ooyllagh ~ apple tart
berreen ruggyree ~ birthday cake
berreen soo thallooin ~ strawberry cake
berreen spiosit ~ spicecake
berreen spunje ~ sponge cake
berreen Vadeiragh ~ Madeira cake
berreen vanshey ~ bride's cake
berreen vashtee ~ christening cake
berreen volley ~ honey cake
berreen vreck ~ currant cake

[Morai]

Culturally, the Isle of Man is interesting with the influence of not only the Vikings and the English, but also two different Celtic cultures, Scotland and Ireland.

Kinda off topic (sorry) but I do have family there, as well as in England somewheres. Unfortuneatly, I seem to have more Japenese influence than Manx. The closest thing I can recall here that resembles a seed cake, is a rice cake. If you buy them in a store, they're round disk like things where the rice has been baked and fused together.

When I think of sponge cake, I think of those infamous, fattening, and cream filled Twinkies!

[Rumil]

Thanks for the seed cake pic Sophia, that's exactly the sort I remember. Maybe I'll have to go on a cake-related shopping expedition sometime soon.

Meanwhile pio, Lalwende and formendacil have answered the Manx question better than I ever could!