Why 13 in a Baker’s Dozen?

Morning Krispy Kremes!

You know how a dozen means 12 of something?

But then, like you’ll hear somebody say a “baker’s dozen”..

And all of a sudden, that means 13 of something??

WHY?!?!??!

Trust me, it’s not because bakers are super nice and want to give you free things.

No.

It's because they didn't want their hands chopped off.

Let me explain...

So it's medieval England, like the 1200s.

You're just a regular baker dude, minding your own business...

When suddenly—

See, this inspector's got this thing in his hand right there called "The Assize of Bread."

It’s a conversion chart that tells bakers EXACTLY how heavy their loaves of bread had to be depending on the market price of wheat.

Why??

Because if you sold someone bread that was even SLIGHTLY too light...

Yeah, they'd literally chop your hand off.

Because you were ripping the customer off, not giving them their wheats-worth.

And this wasn't just England...

In ancient Egypt, the same deal, but they'd nail your ear to your bakery door:

So bakers get really smart about this little problem.

When someone ordered a dozen loaves...

Because 13 is DEFINITELY more than 12.

No risk of limb choppage. The baker’s dozen!

Stay Cute,

Henry & Dylan 🌈

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