Monday, December 04, 2006

Another linguistic trifle

In the UK, a coffee cake is a cake flavored with coffee. Preferably, with a coffee buttercream filling and plenty of walnuts.
In the US, a coffee cake is a cake that you eat while drinking coffee. It's not usually coffee-flavored.

In the UK, a teacake is a flat yeasted fruit bun that you toast, slather in butter and jam, and have on a Sunday evening as a light supper after a hefty Sunday lunch.
In the US, a teacake is a cake that you eat while drinking tea -- even though the Americans don't like proper tea. (Have you ever ordered a cup of tea in the US? Please don't. It's vile.)

Two nations separated by a common language indeed.

2 comments:

Mondale said...

Regarding tea in the USA, Wisdom Weasel and I run a not for profit tea smuggling ring. PG tips. We make a profit in the good cheer we spread throughout the northeast. I always save a few bags for my friend's mom from Stockport.

Norfolk Dumpling said...

I mail over packs of M&S one-cup extra strong teabags to enlightened US colleagues -- it's the least one can do for those less-fortunate than oneself.