CRUMPET

A 'crumpet' is a savoury snack made from flour and yeast. It is eaten mainly in the United Kingdom, but also in the nations of the Commonwealth. In Scotland, the term is used for a large thin teacake, made from the same ingredients as a "Scotch pancake".

Contents

Etymology

The English crumpet

The Scots crumpet

Slang term

References

External links

Etymology

The term dates back to 1694 and may refer to a crumpled or curled-up cake, or have Celtic origins relating to the Breton ''krampoez'' meaning a "thin, flat cake" and the Welsh crempog, a type of pancake. Since many English words have Germanic roots, another possible root is the similar German word ''krumm'' (from Middle High German ''krump'', ''krum'') which means "bent".Crumpet, Krumkake, Krummhorn - The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language: Fourth Edition. 2000.]

The English crumpet

Crumpets are generally circular though long and square varieties also exist. They have a distinctive flat top covered in small pores and a resilient, slightly spongy texture. Crumpets alone are bland and generally eaten hot with a topping (usually butter). Other popular accompaniments include jam, Marmite, marmalade, honey, peanut butter, cheese, golden syrup, or Vegemite (Australia).
A pikelet is similar to a crumpet, but thinner and sometimes irregularly shaped. (However, the meaning of ''pikelet'' varies: in some regions of Britain it traditionally refers to a crumpet, muffin or other teacake. In other British regions, Australia and New Zealand it refers to a Scotch pancake.) Another similar cake is the English muffin, which is cooked on both sides, tastes sweeter, and not as moist.

The Scots crumpet

In Scotland, a crumpet is made from the same ingredients as a Scotch pancake, and is about 180 mm (7 inches) diameter and 8 mm (0.3 inches) thick. They are available plain, or as a fruit crumpet with raisins baked in, and are not reheated before serving. The ingredients include a raising agent, usually baking powder, and different proportions of eggs, flour and milk which create a thin batter. Unlike a pancake, they are cooked to brown on one side only, resulting in a smooth darker side where it has been heated by the griddle, then lightly cooked on the other side which has holes where bubbles have risen to the surface during cooking.^[1]
This is the normal kind of crumpet in baker's shops, tea rooms, and cafés, though the English type of crumpet is often obtainable in supermarkets in addition to the Scottish kind.

Slang term

In the UK, "crumpet" has been used since 1936 as a slang term for a woman regarded as physically attractive.^[2] This slang usage also has vulgar applications, as it is sometimes used to describe female genitalia. Historically "Crumpet" has also been used as a non-sexual term of endearment.
Humorist Frank Muir dubbed Joan Bakewell as "the thinking man's crumpet" following her appearances in high-brow television discussion programmes such as BBC2's ''Late Night Line-Up'', and the term has subsequently been used to refer to other women who are intelligent and good looking, particularly if they have a high profile in the broadcast media.^[3]

References

; Sources consulted
; Notes
1. Traditional Scottish Recipes - Scots Crumpets
2. Online Etymology Dictionary citations
3. An affair to remember, ''The Daily Telegraph'', 5 October 2003.

External links

★ Recipe for Crumpets on bakingmad.com