A sop is a piece of

bread Bread is a baked food product made from water, flour, and often yeast. It is a staple food across the world, particularly in Europe and the Middle East. Throughout recorded history and around the world, it has been an important part of many cu ...

or toast that is drenched in liquid and then eaten. In

medieval cuisine Medieval cuisine includes foods, eating habits, and cooking methods of various Culture of Europe, European cultures during the Middle Ages, which lasted from the 5th to the 15th century. During this period, Diet (nutrition), diets and cooking ch ...

, sops were very common; they were served with

broth Broth, also known as bouillon (), is a savory liquid made of water in which meat, fish, or vegetables have been simmered for a short period of time. It can be eaten alone, but it is most commonly used to prepare other dishes, such as soups ...

soup Soup is a primarily liquid food, generally served warm or hot – though it is sometimes served chilled – made by cooking or otherwise combining meat or vegetables with Stock (food), stock, milk, or water. According to ''The Oxford Compan ...

, or

wine Wine is an alcoholic drink made from Fermentation in winemaking, fermented fruit. Yeast in winemaking, Yeast consumes the sugar in the fruit and converts it to ethanol and carbon dioxide, releasing heat in the process. Wine is most often made f ...

and then picked apart into smaller pieces to soak in the liquid. At elaborate feasts, bread was often pre-cut into finger-sized pieces rather than broken off by the diners themselves. The bread or croutons traditionally served with

French onion soup French onion soup ( ) is a soup of onions, gently fried and then cooked in meat stock or water, usually served gratinéed with croutons or a larger piece of bread covered with cheese floating on top. Onion soups were known in France since med ...

, which took its current form in the 18th century, can be considered modern-day sops.

Etymology

The word ''

'' is a

cognate In historical linguistics, cognates or lexical cognates are sets of words that have been inherited in direct descent from an etymological ancestor in a common parent language. Because language change can have radical effects on both the s ...

of ''sop'', both stemming ultimately from the same Germanic source. The word is mentioned in the Bible: In 19th century Australia, ''sop'' referred to a dish consisting of stale damper, soaked in cold tea and served with a dollop of jam on top for taste. This was mainly used in prisons and poor-houses, as well as institutions such as asylums. In Portuguese, the word ''sopa'', among other meanings, can generally refer to soup or, particularly in

Alentejo Alentejo ( , , ) is a geographical, historical, and cultural region of south–central and southern Portugal. In Portuguese, its name means "beyond the Tagus" (). Alentejo includes the regions of Alto Alentejo Province, Alto Alentejo and Bai ...

, to a piece of dry or even

stale bread Staling, or "going stale", is a chemical and physical process in bread and similar foods that reduces their palatability. Stale bread is dry and hard, making it less suitable for different culinary uses than fresh bread. Countermeasures and desta ...

that is part of the traditional fish broth. The ''sopa'' is soaked in the broth and eaten.

Expressions

The expression ''milksop'' describes a person as weak and indecisive. Its connotation is similar to that of "

milquetoast Caspar Milquetoast was a popular American cartoon character created by H. T. Webster. The term “milquetoast” has since come to be used for a meek or timid person. Milquetoast may also refer to: *Dr. Milquetoast, a character in " The Pacifis ...

". The term ''

supper Supper is used commonly as the term for the main evening meal, although its use varies considerably. Supper may be used to describe a snack or light meal in the evening, either after or instead of dinner. Etymology The term is derived from th ...

'' derives from ''sop'', and the expression ''toast of the town'' derives from the practices of dipping spiced toasted bread into liquid, and of honoring a dinner guest by referring to him or her by that term, which implies he or she adds spice to the dinner party.

References

External links

{{wiktionary inline, sop, sop, sippet, Wiktionary:Glossary#S, position=left Medieval cuisine Bread dishes

Etymology

Expressions

See also

References

Further reading

External links