# Another question for the British contingent (this time about Christmas dinner) **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [December 11, 2022, 11:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/another-question-for-the-british-contingent-this-time-about-christmas-dinner/976350 "2022-12-11T23:09:16Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 6\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![PatrickLondon](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/patricklondon/32/4422_2.png) [@PatrickLondon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PatrickLondon)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2022, 2:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/another-question-for-the-british-contingent-this-time-about-christmas-dinner/976350/21 "2022-12-13T14:28:15Z")
Pie has some significance in Dickens: think of the opening of _Great Expectations_ But in this case, I think it’s bread. And I think I’ve a vague memory of an elderly relative cutting a loaf side to side rather than top to bottom Just one of those variations. ---
**Author:** ![bump](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7c8e57/32.png) [@bump](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bump)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2022, 3:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/another-question-for-the-british-contingent-this-time-about-christmas-dinner/976350/22 "2022-12-13T15:18:27Z")
Sure looked like she cut a slice off the top at 1:14:28, and the bottom part didn’t look hollow. ---
**Author:** ![griffin1977](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/977dab/32.png) [@griffin1977](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/griffin1977)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2022, 3:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/another-question-for-the-british-contingent-this-time-about-christmas-dinner/976350/23 "2022-12-13T15:21:41Z")
Isn’t that just a cottage loaf. > **[Cottage loaf](https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cottage_loaf)** > > A cottage loaf is a traditional type of bread originating in England. > The loaf is characterised by its shape, which is essentially that of two round loaves, one on top of the other, with the upper one being smaller: the shape is similar to that of the French brioche and the pain chapeau of Finistère. > The origins of the name and shape are unknown but possibly extend back hundreds of years. Elizabeth David, who described the cottage loaf in her English Bread and Yeast Cookery, surmised that the s... Not specifically a Christmas dish ---
**Author:** ![pjd](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pjd/32/3009_2.png) [@pjd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pjd)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2022, 3:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/another-question-for-the-british-contingent-this-time-about-christmas-dinner/976350/24 "2022-12-13T15:30:47Z")
> [@griffin1977](#): > > Isn’t that just a cottage loaf. Yes. And according to that article… > …and in common with other round loaves are less convenient for slicing. hence, presumably, the horizontality of the slicing. ---
**Author:** ![SanVito](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sanvito/32/2805_2.png) [@SanVito](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SanVito)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2022, 3:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/another-question-for-the-british-contingent-this-time-about-christmas-dinner/976350/25 "2022-12-13T15:39:36Z")
Cottage Loaf feels like one of those things my brain recognises, but I can’t remember the last time I saw one. Of course it’s all sourdough these days! ---
**Author:** ![terentii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/terentii/32/212_2.png) [@terentii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/terentii)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2022, 4:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/another-question-for-the-british-contingent-this-time-about-christmas-dinner/976350/26 "2022-12-13T16:39:08Z")
I think that pretty well covers it. Thanks for all your responses! 🙂 [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/another-question-for-the-british-contingent-this-time-about-christmas-dinner/976350.md?page=1)