Food Quote by Bill Bryson
““Because bread was so important, the laws governing its purity were strict and the punishment severe. A baker who cheated his customers could be fined £10 per loaf sold, or made to do a month's hard labor in prison. For a time, transportation to Australia was seriously considered for malfeasant bakers. This was a matter of real concern for bakers because every loaf of bread loses weight in baking through evaporation, so it is easy to blunder accidentally. For that reason, bakers sometimes provided a little extra- the famous baker's dozen.””
About This Quote
Source Book: A Short History of Nearly Everything by Bill Bryson, 2003
Strict bread laws led bakers to add extra loaves, creating the “baker’s dozen” to avoid penalties.
In simple terms: Extra loaf prevents punishment.
Key Takeaway
Add a buffer to avoid risk.
Themes
law
economics
food history
Mood
informative
lighthearted
Type
historical
educational
When to use this quote
- baking
- retail pricing
- contract negotiations
Key Concepts
Regulation impact
risk management
Questions to Reflect On
- Why do businesses add safety margins?
- What are the costs of over‑compensating?
A Different Perspective
Modern regulations differ; not all require extra margins.
![“[S]ometimes, when you are a food person, the possible irrelevance of what you are doing doesn’t cross your mind until it’s too late. (Once, for example, when I was just starting out in the food business, I was hired by the caper people to develop a lot of recipes using capers, and it was weeks of…” quote by Nora Ephron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/d79/nora-ephron-1217_business_s-ometimes-when-you-are-a-food-person-th_980.jpg)
