A Baker’s Dozen
This term simply means thirteen, rarely but at times fourteen. The phrase originated in England when bakers were regulated by a trade guild known as The Worshipful Company of Bakers. One such regulation known as the “Assize of Bread and Ale” was to regulate the price of bread according to the price of wheat. Therefore bakers would add an extra loaf, or roll to ensure that they were over the regulated weight, thus sparing them the possibility of being fined by the trade guild for selling there wares under weight.
Documentation shows that during the reign of Henry II (1148-89) these laws came into existence. Henry III revived this law in 1266, with the maximum penalty being public flogging for the selling of under weight bread. I must include a disclaimer here, as I’m not related to either of the aforementioned Henrys nor do I fancy myself as a baker.
Ironically this seems to be the only place where superstitions regarding the number thirteen are accepted. The vast majority of nations and religions view the number thirteen as a bad omen. This thinking has many buildings pretending not to have a 13th floor, just as many cities do not have a 13th St.
Superstitions of the table dictate that if you have a baker’s dozen of bakers sitting down to dinner together it would be deemed unlucky. In fact the belief is that one of the thirteen would die within the year.
More precisely there were thirteen apostles who celebrated the Last Supper It was here that the treachery of Judas was discovered. Thus when thirteen people gather at a table to eat, it is believed that one is a traitor and potentially a hanged-traitor at that.
As the story goes, the menu at the last supper was relatively simple, bread and wine. Bread, is considered by some to be the staff of life. Yet when turned upside down it signifies death.
As for the wine, to spill some on the table is an honor to the gods, it signifies ones gratitude with hopes of reward but try not to consume the last drop of wine in the bottle as it symbolizes poverty and all things associated with it.
Another superstition of the table is that when one capsizes the saltcellar you must quickly gather a few of the misplaced grains and toss it over your shoulder. The sharing of salt at the beginning of a meal between guests represents friendship. The spilling of salt represents a disagreement in friendship.
From here in when you come to my house for dinner we will be mindful as to count heads, as well we will dine on a zero-carb, salt-free menu, and there shall be plenty of wine stains in the table cloth.
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