I'm not being weird thinking this is a bit odd, am I?

[MrsChemist]

Went to the shop to pick up some bits, and when the lady was packing my bag she asked me if it was ok to snap a baguette in half so it would fit in the shopping bag. She then added, 'or you could have it sticking out of the bag,' in a tone that seemed to say that letting it stick out would be pure madness.

It's not angered me or anything, I'm just wondering if it's odd for shop staff to essentially, cheerfully offer to damage shopping for their customers.

I declined, and put it under my pram. She seemed a tiny bit put out that I didn't take her up on her practical offer.

It was weird, right?

In medieval and Renaissance siege warfare, a common tactic was to dig a shallow trench close to the enemy gate, and then erect a small hoisting engine that would lift the lit petard out of the trench, swing it up, out, and over to the gate, where it would detonate and hopefully breach the gate.[citation needed] This procedure might go awry; the engineer lighting the bomb could be snagged in the ropes, lifted out with the petard, and consequently blown up.

from Wiki

I used to break my baguette in half, to fit in my bag better, or it became difficult to turn corners on my moped with a full length baguette between my legs.
I once took 30+ cucumbers to the staff after finding some dear child had been allowed to bite a chunk though the plastic and flesh of every cucumbers.

Haha how bizarre!

Oh no! Then it'd dry out where it had been broken.

Imagine having that conversation in France...blimey that'd go down well I don't think

"it became difficult to turn corners on my moped with a full length baguette between my legs"

PMSL

Am I the only person who is wondering how the hell breaking a baguette in half helps with packing

the accompanying bag is only wide enough to fit one loaf. You couldn't fit the two halves side by side in the bag could you? Or do baguette snappers also tear your bag in half? But if you do that you are gonna end up with one half of bag that is open at both ends. Argh.

And shops that don't tape up the end of the bag piss me off. How much does an inch of sellotape cost FFS.

Add message | Report | Message poster Scaredycat3000 Fri 21-Jan-11 10:54:06
I used to break my baguette in half, to fit in my bag better, or it became difficult to turn corners on my moped with a full length baguette between my legs.
I once took 30+ cucumbers to the staff after finding some dear child had been allowed to bite a chunk though the plastic and flesh of every cucumbers.

"Having trouble fitting that large box of cornflakes into your shopping bag? Why not just empty out the contents. They take up far less room."

But if you snap a baguette doesn't it make the two inside ends dry so you can't eat them?

I'm weird then. I snap it in half

Nonono. You break the baguette. Then fold the bag over.

I get very upset if my baguettes accidently break in half so I would be horrified if someone offred to snap it!

This happened to me in the Sainsburys in Paddington station on Tuesday - I said to go ahead and ended up with a broken baguette. I've been asked before as well.

YADNBU. It's not weird if you do it, but it is weird if someone asks you if you want it done. Only thing is I find if you break in half it kind of squashes out of shape around the break. So, I have done it, but won't do it any more, plus have own breadmaker now.

Agree, is very funny thread and shopping in some posters' supermarkets must be an absolute riot . It's just boring around here.

Honeydragon - 'This works out better as it means the dog gets four noggins instead of two.'

My mum calls them knockits - what about anyone else?

I'm going to the supermarket today and will buy a baguette just to see if they offer to snap it for me.
If they do offer I will thll them that I snap my own baguett thanks very much!!

Everytime DH does the shopping, the bread was broken in half. The first ten couple of times, I didnt even notice it, just sighed in mild annoyance because I always need to cut it into five, and it's cumbersome when it is snapped in two.

Last time I said to DH "you always choose the broken baguettes, don't you?!" and he looked so confused and explained that he broke it in half himself each time for ease of packing.

My mind boggled and I didn't tell a soul because I worried about his mental state. Im so relieved to know he is not alone!!

curly when I was growing up mum called them the 'nobby'

We call the end the noggin too although my DD aged 6 did once ask for the "knob end".

My mum always talks about popping to the fridge for a "knob of cheese" - is this common parlance pray tell? (should this be on the medieval thread?)

No a nob of cheese is a correct term, along with a pinch, a dash, the smidgeon, a taste of and a bit. My god woman do you not know basic culinary measurements!

Is the baguette breaking thing only in London do you inner city types sneer at a unbroken nob end on the tube? Or is it an affectation from holidays to Normandy? Why have I never heard of this till today?

Lol (and uurgh!) at Knob of cheese

Honeydragon, I wasn't aware of it being a London thing, but it could well be. Probably connected to transport, can't think a full length baguette would survive a rush hour up here and lots of people use 2 wheels. Sadly I had to give up my 2 wheels, but I can now keep my baguette as it should be.

Im not in London and we break bagueetes 'ere.