Eternal Mysteries

[akirlu]

If you toast a slice of rye, or wheat, or sourdough bread, it's toast. If you toast an English muffin, it's a toasted English muffin. Why is that? And what is the nature of the the relationship between the English muffin and the crumpet, precisely?

Comments

[akirlu.livejournal.com]

I'm skeptical. What guy, exactly? The Swedish word sure looks like it comes straight from the same word in German, Wienerbrot, and the Swedes often do garble things a bit as they come in from the German, which is how Sweden wound up with "snälltåg" from "schnellzug".

[idahoswede.livejournal.com]

I'll ask Anders when he gets up in the morning where he read that. It's just something he told me.

[jophan.livejournal.com]

I'm with akirlu here. Vienna is (and was) famous for its cafés and pastry. Nationalencyklopedin says the etymology is unknown, but point to the good reputation of Viennese cakes. If Anders is thinking of Wienerbagar'n, that baker is much later.