Pedants' Paradise

[french frank]

BBC headline - 'Blake Lively and Justin Baldoni: what you need to know'.

[Pulcinella]

The Oven instructions for M&S Classic mince pies.

Preheat oven. Remove carton and plastic tray. Do not remove from foil cases and place on baking tray. Do not reheat.

I'm ok with leaving them in their foil cases (until I want to eat one), but why can't I put them on a baking tray?
What am I supposed to do with them?

[smittims]

How about

Do not remove from foil cases, but place on baking tray.

I see Israel Sieff saying 'So? You want to be spoon-fed?'

[Serial_Apologist]

It doesn't bother me , but I see what you mean. Conversely,the 1960s trend for long hair can be seen as a reaction to the National Service haircut.

In the same way, a few years ago I noticed a lot of new cars in a sort of khaki colour. In the years after 1945 no-one would have wanted their car to look like that (except perhaps Field Marshal Motgomery) .

It's odd too that black cars made something of a comeback among the wealthier classes a few years ago, with Ford charging extra for same models in black. Back in the 50s everyone seemed to prefer the new coloured models on offer than the obiquitous black ones.

I think long hair in the 60s was part and parcel of the bid at the time to create a less macho image for men - especially when women were making a bee line for the current top pop bands. Ironically it turned into the new macho when footballers like George Best donned long hair in the 70s!

[french frank]

Unwrap contents of pack and stand in pan of boiling water.

[vinteuil]

Unwrap contents of pack and stand in pan of boiling water.

"The restaurateur Prue Leith once watched a wretched cookery-school pupil (male, of course) deconstruct the following first line of a recipe 'Separate the eggs.' For a thoughtful while he pondered the two eggs placed in front of him, before carefully moving one a few inches to his left and the other a few inches to his right."

Julian Barnes, 'The Land Without Brussels Sprouts', in 'Something to Declare'

(also recommended - Julian Barnes, 'A Pedant in the Kitchen' )

.

[Serial_Apologist]

Unwrap contents of pack and stand in pan of boiling water.

[oddoneout]

While we're on about hair, I truly hate the recent male trend back to short back 'n' sides, reminding me as it does of everything stifling about the call-up Britain in the 1950s, which I imagined we'd moved on from. Either have long hair or short all over, guys, not this militarised look!

Hmm, don't know what I stand on this - I'll need to mullet over

[oddoneout]

The Oven instructions for M&S Classic mince pies.

Preheat oven. Remove carton and plastic tray. Do not remove from foil cases and place on baking tray. Do not reheat.

I'm ok with leaving them in their foil cases (until I want to eat one), but why can't I put them on a baking tray?
What am I supposed to do with them?

So why put the oven on?

[Serial_Apologist]

Hmm, don't know what I stand on this - I'll need to mullet over

[LMcD]

Unwrap contents of pack and stand in pan of boiling water.

Wiltshire Farm Foods for masochists?

[Pulcinella]

A query more than a bit of pedantry.
Why does the contraction you're not work here (it might have been phone autocorrect having its wicked way.)?

I'm free tomorrow and I hope you're too.

We'd have to say:
I'm free tomorrow and I hope you are too
or
I'm free tomorrow and I hope you're free too
wouldn't we?

[smittims]

I think that's just usage. We're used to 'you're free' but not to 'you're too.'

But to return to ovens and things to put in them, I unwrapped a new roll of baking foil and was told 'Use the non-shiny side'.

So, why have a shiny side? I defied augury and used it, as I always do. The heavens did not fall.

[oddoneout]

I think that's just usage. We're used to 'you're free' but not to 'you're too.'

But to return to ovens and things to put in them, I unwrapped a new roll of baking foil and was told 'Use the non-shiny side'.

So, why have a shiny side? I defied augury and used it, as I always do. The heavens did not fall.

I've always used the shiny side when the purpose is to line a baking sheet - just I think an instinctive idea that shiny means less likely to stick.
But then there is this

Either side of the foil can be used to place food on, unless you are using Bacofoil^® The Non-Stick Kitchen Foil, then the food should be placed on the non shiny side side, as this is the side that is coated with a food safe silicon to stop food from sticking.

Apparently the dull side up argument is that physics says that the shiny side reflects the heat which isn't what you want when cooking something. Millions seem to have managed over the decades though, despite doing it "wrong".
The dull side/shiny side is to do with the manufacturing process I think.

[french frank]

How do you use only one side of the foil?