# The Great Fairy Bread controversy

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-great-fairy-bread-controversy/940166>\
**Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\
**Created:** [April 16, 2021, 8:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-great-fairy-bread-controversy/940166 "2021-04-16T20:40:57Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 20\
**Page:** 1

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![kambuckta](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/53a042/32.png) [@kambuckta](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kambuckta)\
**Post date:** [April 16, 2021, 8:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-great-fairy-bread-controversy/940166/1 "2021-04-16T20:40:57Z")

</div>

So some people in Australia are outraged, OUTRAGED I tell you. First they came for our **[Golden Gaytimes](https://www.outinperth.com/the-golden-gaytime-controversy-spreads-across-the-nation/)** and now it’s the Fairy Bread, a staple at kid birthday parties since the dawn of time.

Except it’s not really a controversy at all, it was done to razz up the homophobes and ultra-conservative twats here, who take personal affront when any of their ‘traditions’ are challenged. First tweeted from a spoof account by The Chaser, a satirical website akin to The Onion, it was quickly hijacked into the mainstream media as the latest cause de celebre against the scourge of liberalism.

[You can fool some of the people…](https://www.pedestrian.tv/news/fake-fairy-bread-petition-lyle-shelton/)

Funny as shit.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Kron](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kron/32/12444_2.png) [@Kron](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kron)\
**Post date:** [April 16, 2021, 9:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-great-fairy-bread-controversy/940166/2 "2021-04-16T21:09:27Z")

</div>

I now want a Golden Gaytime.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Kimstu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/ecd19e/32.png) [@Kimstu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kimstu)\
**Post date:** [April 16, 2021, 9:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-great-fairy-bread-controversy/940166/3 "2021-04-16T21:24:48Z")

</div>

> [@kambuckta](#):
>
> First they came for our **[Golden Gaytimes](https://www.outinperth.com/the-golden-gaytime-controversy-spreads-across-the-nation/)** and now it’s the Fairy Bread, a staple at kid birthday parties since the dawn of time.

“The dawn of time” being [1929](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fairy_bread), apparently.

I do kind of love how hearing Australians and New Zealanders of European descent talking about their “traditions” can give me a momentary illusion of the USA’s cultural antiquity. 🤣

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Snowboarder\_Bo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snowboarder_bo/32/229_2.png) [@Snowboarder\_Bo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snowboarder_Bo)\
**Post date:** [April 17, 2021, 3:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-great-fairy-bread-controversy/940166/4 "2021-04-17T15:18:51Z")

</div>

Aye; me too.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Jackmannii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jackmannii/32/311_2.png) [@Jackmannii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jackmannii)\
**Post date:** [April 17, 2021, 3:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-great-fairy-bread-controversy/940166/5 "2021-04-17T15:32:07Z")

</div>

It’s getting increasingly difficult to identify a Poe.

> **[Portland school fears ‘Evergreens’ mascot tied to lynching](https://www.koin.com/local/portland-school-fears-evergreens-mascot-tied-to-lynching/?fbclid=IwAR3f44MEbR_vRBCckWo9JX2UY0k5Wp6DbLLoqvyUDcvm0zp3wRDiDY7nTks)**
>
> The adoption of a new mascot for Ida B. Wells-Barnett High School was put on pause, after concerns about potential connotations of lynching.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Steve\_McQwark](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/4da419/32.png) [@Steve\_McQwark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Steve_McQwark)\
**Post date:** [April 17, 2021, 3:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-great-fairy-bread-controversy/940166/6 "2021-04-17T15:39:52Z")

</div>

Wait, does this mean that Australia is the island that that New York politician wanted to send all of the gay people to? “You can’t stay here in the United States because of our bigotry. You have to go to the land of Golden Gaytimes.” Wow, his plan was even worse than I originally thought.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\
**Post date:** [April 17, 2021, 4:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-great-fairy-bread-controversy/940166/7 "2021-04-17T16:00:33Z")

</div>

> [@Jackmannii](#):
>
> It’s getting increasingly difficult to identify a Poe.
> 
> [Portland school fears ‘Evergreens’ mascot tied to lynching | KOIN.com](https://www.koin.com/local/portland-school-fears-evergreens-mascot-tied-to-lynching/?fbclid=IwAR3f44MEbR_vRBCckWo9JX2UY0k5Wp6DbLLoqvyUDcvm0zp3wRDiDY7nTks) -

Someone should have given a second thought to using the word “tied” in that headline. /Poe

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Chingon](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chingon/32/17645_2.png) [@Chingon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chingon)\
**Post date:** [April 17, 2021, 8:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-great-fairy-bread-controversy/940166/8 "2021-04-17T20:32:27Z")

</div>

The real tragedy is that an entire nation of children has been tricked into thinking that sprinkles on wonder bread is something to get excited about.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Melbourne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b5e925/32.png) [@Melbourne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Melbourne)\
**Post date:** [April 17, 2021, 11:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-great-fairy-bread-controversy/940166/9 "2021-04-17T23:18:55Z")

</div>

The real tragedy is that entire nations of children have grown up believing that ice cream and coke are food groups.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Kimstu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/ecd19e/32.png) [@Kimstu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kimstu)\
**Post date:** [April 17, 2021, 11:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-great-fairy-bread-controversy/940166/10 "2021-04-17T23:25:48Z")

</div>

> [@Chingon](#):
>
> The real tragedy is that an entire nation of children has been tricked into thinking that sprinkles on wonder bread is something to get excited about

Whaddya mean, “an entire nation”? They do that in New Zealand and the Netherlands too, and probably more that I can’t think of off the top of my head.

Bread-and-butter with muisjes (sprinkles) is eaten as part of workplace lunch by many grown-up professionals in the Netherlands, not just kids.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![kambuckta](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/53a042/32.png) [@kambuckta](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kambuckta)\
**Post date:** [April 17, 2021, 11:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-great-fairy-bread-controversy/940166/11 "2021-04-17T23:30:52Z")

</div>

> [@Chingon](#):
>
> The real tragedy is that an entire nation of children has been tricked into thinking that sprinkles on wonder bread is something to get excited about.

Fairy bread, chocolate crackles\* and cocktail frankfurts. Damn straight they were things to get excited about. 😋

\*I’ve never found a recipe calling for Copha apart from choc crackles…has anyone used the damned stuff otherwise?

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Chingon](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chingon/32/17645_2.png) [@Chingon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chingon)\
**Post date:** [April 18, 2021, 12:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-great-fairy-bread-controversy/940166/12 "2021-04-18T00:04:34Z")

</div>

I’m not hating, I just remember my bafflement when my Aussie friends were super excited about sharing fairly bread with me. They pumped it up for days leading up to the unveiling. At first I figured they were doing a “drop bears” thing that Australian people love to pull, but no it was 100% earnest.

I guess it’s like when depression era kids got to lick a piece of rock candy once a year or something.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![DesertDog](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/desertdog/32/11503_2.png) [@DesertDog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DesertDog)\
**Post date:** [April 18, 2021, 12:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-great-fairy-bread-controversy/940166/13 "2021-04-18T00:12:42Z")

</div>

> [@Kimstu](#):
>
> Bread-and-butter with muisjes (sprinkles) is eaten as part of workplace lunch by many grown-up professionals in the Netherlands, not just kids.

I like bread and butter too, especially cultured European butter, but adding sprinkles would do nothing for me.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![GreenWyvern](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/greenwyvern/32/2834_2.png) [@GreenWyvern](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GreenWyvern)\
**Post date:** [April 18, 2021, 12:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-great-fairy-bread-controversy/940166/14 "2021-04-18T00:50:44Z")

</div>

If fairy bread is too airy-fairy for you, try a crisp sandwich!

> **[How to eat: a crisp sandwich](https://www.theguardian.com/food/2019/dec/05/how-to-eat-a-crisp-sandwich)**
>
> This month, How to Eat is munching on a complex dish rarely discussed in polite society. Do you use butter or mayo? Is white bread essential? Do Wotsits work?

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Kimstu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/ecd19e/32.png) [@Kimstu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kimstu)\
**Post date:** [April 18, 2021, 1:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-great-fairy-bread-controversy/940166/15 "2021-04-18T01:22:04Z")

</div>

> [@DesertDog](#):
>
> I like bread and butter too, especially cultured European butter, but adding sprinkles would do nothing for me.

Yeah, I lived and worked in the Netherlands for two years and had much delicious food there, but the lunchtime muisjes thing was just kinda wtf as far as I was concerned.

To be fair, the Dutch as a nation have a pretty philosophical attitude to the routineness of routine meals such as workday breakfast and lunch. As an American colleague of mine says, “To tell the difference between a Dutch breakfast and a Dutch lunch you have to look at your watch.”

Milk, buttermilk, cheese, bread, butter, maybe some sliced meats, whaddya mean “boring”, it’s good food. You want adventurous and exotic, have some muisjes.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Melbourne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b5e925/32.png) [@Melbourne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Melbourne)\
**Post date:** [April 18, 2021, 3:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-great-fairy-bread-controversy/940166/16 "2021-04-18T03:04:52Z")

</div>

> [@kambuckta](#):
>
> \*I’ve never found a recipe calling for Copha apart from choc crackles…has anyone used the damned stuff otherwise?

I grew up assuming that the Chocolate Crackles recipe was a sales gimmick for Rice Bubbles (Rice Krispies). It was only here on the SDMB that I learned that CC were not universally known, and it was only after I looked on the web that I learned that the recipe came from the Copha marketing group.

However, I do remember Crisco, which is much the same thing, made from cotton seed oil instead of palm oil. It was used for home baking, back when home baking was still a thing. Copha (without the brand name) is used the same way (to make supermarket baked goods), and presumably could be used the same way at home.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![JaneDoe42](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/janedoe42/32/14104_2.png) [@JaneDoe42](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JaneDoe42)\
**Post date:** [April 18, 2021, 3:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-great-fairy-bread-controversy/940166/17 "2021-04-18T03:11:02Z")

</div>

On the other side of the world, [Bimbo Bread](https://www.bimbobakeriesusa.com/brands) is in the spotlight. Bimbos can be great bakers!

A young lady I know once told me that she had bought some of the Bimbo brand white bread and stuck it in a cabinet and forgot about it until months later when she needed to make lunches for her kids to take to school. The bread wasn’t green or hard or anything. It was just the same as the day she had bought it and the kids didn’t notice a difference. She thinks Bimbo bread is great!

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![kambuckta](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/53a042/32.png) [@kambuckta](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kambuckta)\
**Post date:** [April 18, 2021, 3:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-great-fairy-bread-controversy/940166/18 "2021-04-18T03:35:52Z")

</div>

And so this thread has devolved into a CS thread…how bizarre.

🤣

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\
**Post date:** [April 18, 2021, 3:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-great-fairy-bread-controversy/940166/19 "2021-04-18T03:53:19Z")

</div>

> [@JaneDoe42](#):
>
> The bread wasn’t green or hard or anything. It was just the same as the day she had bought it -

That’s …disturbing.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Kimstu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/ecd19e/32.png) [@Kimstu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kimstu)\
**Post date:** [April 18, 2021, 4:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-great-fairy-bread-controversy/940166/20 "2021-04-18T04:00:03Z")

</div>

> [@Melbourne](#):
>
> However, I do remember Crisco, which is much the same thing, made from cotton seed oil instead of palm oil. It was used for home baking, back when home baking was still a thing.

This sentence, seeming to imply that we now all live in some kind of post-home-baking world where Crisco exists only in memory, weirded me out so much that I had to go confirm that [Crisco is still being made commercially](https://www.crisco.com).

ISTM that in these pandemic times home baking is even more a thing than it used to be.

[Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-great-fairy-bread-controversy/940166.md?page=2)
