# A cup of cornflour **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [December 14, 2006, 1:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-cup-of-cornflour/384120 "2006-12-14T13:56:25Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 16\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![tbdi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/3bc359/32.png) [@tbdi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tbdi)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2006, 1:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-cup-of-cornflour/384120/1 "2006-12-14T13:56:25Z")
I just re-read “On The Beach” and near the end an elderly woman said that if she felt up to it she might have a cup of cornflour. Now to my American ear this sounds like something that would be nearly impossible to eat under the best of conditions [http://images.google.com/images?hl=en&q=cornflour&btnG=Search+Images](http://images.google.com/images?hl=en&q=cornflour&btnG=Search+Images). Does it refer to something else, or did it in 1966 Australia which is where the book is set? Or have I been whooshed? ---
**Author:** ![Squink](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b5e925/32.png) [@Squink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Squink)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2006, 2:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-cup-of-cornflour/384120/2 "2006-12-14T14:12:54Z")
Cornflower, or sometimes cornflour is a crockery pattern. She was probably referring to her [cornflower tea](http://images.google.com/images?q=%22cornflower%20tea%22&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8&client=firefox-a&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&sa=N&tab=wi) set. ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2006, 2:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-cup-of-cornflour/384120/3 "2006-12-14T14:25:37Z")
I wondered if it might be that, and I could understand the mixup if it was an overheard conversation, but **tbdi** is referring to something seen in print. I’ve never seen conrflowers referred to as ‘cornflours’, neither have I seen the term ‘cup of cornflour’ outside of recipes. ---
**Author:** ![Sonia\_Montdore](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/90ced4/32.png) [@Sonia\_Montdore](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sonia_Montdore)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2006, 2:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-cup-of-cornflour/384120/4 "2006-12-14T14:26:16Z")
[QUOTE=tbdi] I just re-read “On The Beach” and near the end an elderly woman said that if she felt up to it she might have a cup of cornflour. Now to my American ear this sounds like something that would be nearly impossible to eat under the best of conditions [Google Search](http://images.google.com/images?hl=en&q=cornflour&btnG=Search+Images). Does it refer to something else, or did it in 1966 Australia which is where the book is set? Or have I been whooshed? [/QUOTE] Cornflour is called cornstarch in the US. It’s used to thicken sauces and soups. It alo used to be used as to medicate upset stomachs in the 19th century. ---
**Author:** ![tbdi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/3bc359/32.png) [@tbdi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tbdi)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2006, 3:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-cup-of-cornflour/384120/5 "2006-12-14T15:15:55Z")
[QUOTE=Sonia Montdore] It also used to be used as to medicate upset stomachs in the 19th century. [/QUOTE] That’s probably the explanation then; I had done some searching but had not found any reference to it being a home remedy. I’m guessing it’s largely water with a little cornflour/cornstarch mixed in… it still sounds fairly disgusting but makes a lot more sense now. Thanks. ---
**Author:** ![Terminus\_Est](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/terminus_est/32/3087_2.png) [@Terminus\_Est](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Terminus_Est)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2006, 7:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-cup-of-cornflour/384120/6 "2006-12-14T19:55:07Z")
“Corn” refers to any local grain. It’s maize in the US, but it could be wheat, rye or oats elsewhere. Given that Nevil Shute, the author of _On The Beach_, is British, and he wrote it in Australia, the “cornflour” referred to in the book is most likely _not_ maize but one of the other cereals. ---
**Author:** ![Terminus\_Est](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/terminus_est/32/3087_2.png) [@Terminus\_Est](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Terminus_Est)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2006, 8:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-cup-of-cornflour/384120/7 "2006-12-14T20:00:39Z")
Sorry for double posting. I just remembered that Unca Cecil had a column on the meaning of the word “corn”: [How could the Romans use corn? It’s American!](http://www.straightdope.com/classics/a1_102.html) ---
**Author:** ![Sonia\_Montdore](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/90ced4/32.png) [@Sonia\_Montdore](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sonia_Montdore)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2006, 8:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-cup-of-cornflour/384120/8 "2006-12-14T20:38:16Z")
[QUOTE=Sonia Montdore] It alo used to be used as to medicate upset stomachs in the 19th century. [/QUOTE] That **should** have read, “It was also used to medicate upset stomachs in the 19th century.” :smack: English is my mother tongue, honest. ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2006, 8:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-cup-of-cornflour/384120/9 "2006-12-14T20:42:18Z")
[QUOTE=Terminus Est] “Corn” refers to any local grain. It’s maize in the US, but it could be wheat, rye or oats elsewhere. Given that Nevil Shute, the author of _On The Beach_, is British, and he wrote it in Australia, the “cornflour” referred to in the book is most likely _not_ maize but one of the other cereals. [/QUOTE] Actually, although ‘corn’ is indeed a generic term for cereals here in Britain and still elsewhere. ‘corn_ **flour** _’ is a specific term that always indicates flour made of maize - otherwise it would just be ‘flour’ or ‘barley flour’ or ‘rye flour’ or whatever, but ‘corn’ is not generic in reference to flour in British English. ---
**Author:** ![Terminus\_Est](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/terminus_est/32/3087_2.png) [@Terminus\_Est](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Terminus_Est)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2006, 9:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-cup-of-cornflour/384120/10 "2006-12-14T21:15:54Z")
I didn’t know that. How odd that it would be called cornflour rather than maize flour or somesuch. ---
**Author:** ![Cunctator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/43a26b/32.png) [@Cunctator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cunctator)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2006, 9:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-cup-of-cornflour/384120/11 "2006-12-14T21:44:07Z")
It’s a fairly standard ingredient here in recipes. I used some a couple of days ago in a sauce. ---
**Author:** ![araminty](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/b5e925/32.png) [@araminty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/araminty)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2006, 4:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-cup-of-cornflour/384120/12 "2006-12-15T04:02:46Z")
Actually, Australian supermarket shelves carry “wheaten” cornflour, which is just regular wheat flour ground even finer than usual, along with the more typical maize cornflour, AKA cornstarch. I have spent whole days devoted to discovering which cornflour produces the best [slime](http://www.questacon.edu.au/html/squad_activities/slime_cornflour_slime.html). Note: that’s not me in the picture, although I did have dinner with her once. ---
**Author:** ![Alan\_Smithee](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/2acd7d/32.png) [@Alan\_Smithee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alan_Smithee)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2006, 8:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-cup-of-cornflour/384120/13 "2006-12-15T08:38:01Z")
In Mexican grocery stores here in Colorado (and in the Mexican foods section of regular grocery stores) you can find packets of flavored, sweetened cornstarch for making hot drinks. I’ve never tried it, though I’m usually one to try any weird or exotic foodstuff I come across. (You’ll do well to try to distract me if we walk past an Asian grocery together, unless you like being forced to try fried squid chips and grass jelly drink. 😉 ) ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2006, 9:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-cup-of-cornflour/384120/14 "2006-12-15T09:01:21Z")
[QUOTE=araminty] Actually, Australian supermarket shelves carry “wheaten” cornflour, which is just regular wheat flour ground even finer than usual, along with the more typical maize cornflour, AKA cornstarch. [/QUOTE] That’s interesting - I’ve never heard of this ‘wheaten cornflour’ stuff - is it marketed specifically as a substitute? And if so… why? - the usual reason for substituting cereals is to _remove_ wheat, making them suitable for a gluten-free diet, but what you describe is exactly the opposite, which makes it… curious… ---
**Author:** ![Malacandra](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Malacandra](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Malacandra)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2006, 9:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-cup-of-cornflour/384120/15 "2006-12-15T09:07:14Z")
You can make a milk pudding using cornflour (and sugar). With colour and flavouring we call it “blancmange” and you can eat it either warm or cold. ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2006, 9:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-cup-of-cornflour/384120/16 "2006-12-15T09:18:30Z")
Custard powder is nowadays not much more than flavoured cornflour. Proper custard uses eggs, but is harder to make.