Bakers, bakeries and bakers shops were required by law only to sell their ‘national loaves’ when they were a day old because stale bread did not cut to waste like fresh bread. Source
[If you can find it, the BBC Timeshift episode ‘Bread: A Loaf Affair’ mentions this along with a surprisingly interesting modern-ish history of bread in the UK. It’s narrated by Tom Baker.]
In the UK, bakers were forbidden from selling bread on the day it was baked, in order to make it more stale and reduce demand.
Is this a Douglas Adams bit?
Sadly, no:
[If you can find it, the BBC Timeshift episode ‘Bread: A Loaf Affair’ mentions this along with a surprisingly interesting modern-ish history of bread in the UK. It’s narrated by Tom Baker.]
Wtf does cut to waste mean?
Thick instead of thin?
I have actually been googling the hell out of this and I still don’t know.
I see where he got his sense of humour at least. I’ll try to find that, thanks.