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Usenet Posted 22 years ago
Usage
Biggin
I've been reading a specialty forum on silver to learn a little bit more about some sterling items that I have. There's a whole new language involved. They are currently discussing a "biggin", which is a type of coffee pot. The biggin is the muslin bag that held the ground coffee and was suspended in the pot. The entire pot is also called a biggin.
While the ones under discussion are sterling or plate, my grandmother used to take a blue, kind of spotted enamel, coffee pot to picnics. She'd put the ground coffee in a bag and suspend it in the pot like a tea bag and then bring the water to boil over the fire.
I'm still trying to figure out what a "charger" is. I know it's a flat dish, but I can't figure out how it differs from any other flat sterling or plate dish.
The silver group is very refined. (And I make that pun deliberately) Their version of an OY! is for someone to call the silver mark on American silver a "hallmark", but they are gentle about it.
The Web Bloodhound: http://home.earthlink.net/~tony cooper213/icanbeglitzy.html
While the ones under discussion are sterling or plate, my grandmother used to take a blue, kind of spotted enamel, coffee pot to picnics. She'd put the ground coffee in a bag and suspend it in the pot like a tea bag and then bring the water to boil over the fire.
I'm still trying to figure out what a "charger" is. I know it's a flat dish, but I can't figure out how it differs from any other flat sterling or plate dish.
The silver group is very refined. (And I make that pun deliberately) Their version of an OY! is for someone to call the silver mark on American silver a "hallmark", but they are gentle about it.
The Web Bloodhound: http://home.earthlink.net/~tony cooper213/icanbeglitzy.html
Top answer
english: [nq:1]I'm still trying to figure out what a "charger" is. [/nq] A charger is a large plate upon which the plates bearing food (service plates) and various bowls, etc. are placed in a formal service.
- english: [nq:1]I'm still trying to figure out what a "charger" is.
- [/nq] A charger is a large plate upon which the plates bearing food (service plates) and various bowls, etc.
- are placed in a formal service.
- At no time is food placed directly on the charger.
- If you encounter a complete set of formal dinnerware, the chargers are simply the largest plates.
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34 Answers
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In our last episode, (Email Removed), the lovely and talented Tony Cooper broadcast on alt.usage.english:
[nq:1]I'm still trying to figure out what a "charger" is. I know it's a flat dish, but I can't figure out how it differs from any other flat sterling or plate dish.[/nq]
A charger is a large plate upon which the plates bearing food (service plates) and various bowls, etc. are placed in
[nq:1]I'm still trying to figure out what a "charger" is. I know it's a flat dish, but I can't figure out how it differs from any other flat sterling or plate dish.[/nq]
A charger is a large plate upon which the plates bearing food (service plates) and various bowls, etc. are placed in
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[nq:1]I've been reading a specialty forum on silver to learn a little bit more about some sterling items that I ... bag that held the ground coffee and was suspended in the pot. The entire pot is also called a biggin.[/nq]
I had never heard of this term before - to me, biggin only suggests "Biggin Hill", where there used to be an airshow.
For the connection to the muslin bag, maybe it deri
I had never heard of this term before - to me, biggin only suggests "Biggin Hill", where there used to be an airshow.
For the connection to the muslin bag, maybe it deri
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[nq:2]I've been reading a specialty forum on silver to learn ... the pot. The entire pot is also called a biggin.[/nq]
[nq:1]I had never heard of this term before - to me, biggin only suggests "Biggin Hill", where there used to ... could find, referred to a kettle on a stand, but I don't know whether the stand is obligatory.
[nq:1]I had never heard of this term before - to me, biggin only suggests "Biggin Hill", where there used to ... could find, referred to a kettle on a stand, but I don't know whether the stand is obligatory.
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[nq:2]I'm still trying to figure out what a "charger" is. ... it differs from any other flat sterling or plate dish.[/nq]
[nq:1]A charger is a large plate upon which the plates bearing food (service plates) and various bowls, etc. are placed ... as clean napkins were not provided at every meal. So perhaps the table cloth was not changed very often either.[/nq]
A very good, and complete, ex
[nq:1]A charger is a large plate upon which the plates bearing food (service plates) and various bowls, etc. are placed ... as clean napkins were not provided at every meal. So perhaps the table cloth was not changed very often either.[/nq]
A very good, and complete, ex
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[nq:1]That "oy!" business just strikes me as rude,[/nq]
Oh dear! I seldom read threads in this newsgroup about one subject that don't provoke questions about another, often unrelated one!
Now about this 'oy!' business:
I was aware that it's a common exclamation among 'lower class' Brits. A Cockney phrase I assumed. And I was also aware of the yiddish or at least Jewish 'oy-vey!'.
Oh dear! I seldom read threads in this newsgroup about one subject that don't provoke questions about another, often unrelated one!
Now about this 'oy!' business:
I was aware that it's a common exclamation among 'lower class' Brits. A Cockney phrase I assumed. And I was also aware of the yiddish or at least Jewish 'oy-vey!'.
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[nq:1]I've been reading a specialty forum on silver to learn a little bit more about some sterling items that I ... bag that held the ground coffee and was suspended in the pot. The entire pot is also called a biggin.[/nq]
Oh My. What a delight of linguistic relations you have led me to. I previously knew Biggin as part of Biggin Hill, the RAF station that became famous during WW2. OED has 'bi
Oh My. What a delight of linguistic relations you have led me to. I previously knew Biggin as part of Biggin Hill, the RAF station that became famous during WW2. OED has 'bi
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[nq:2]It's a large flat serving dish, but I don't know if there is a technical definition that is more specific.[/nq]
[nq:1]Lars says otherwise. He seems to know.[/nq]
That reads a bit more blunt than I intended. I didn't mean to say you were wrong, but to say that the definition Lars provided was more extensive and did say that food was not served from the charger. The serving dish would
[nq:1]Lars says otherwise. He seems to know.[/nq]
That reads a bit more blunt than I intended. I didn't mean to say you were wrong, but to say that the definition Lars provided was more extensive and did say that food was not served from the charger. The serving dish would
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[nq:1]I had never heard of this term before - to me, biggin only suggests "Biggin Hill", where there used to be an airshow.[/nq]
(Major snip)
[nq:1] Frances Kemmish Production Manager East Coast Youth Ballet www.byramartscenter.com[/nq]
RAF Biggin Hill: Played a central part in the Battle of Britain; so I suppose you could say "there used to be an airshow".
Cheers, Sage
(Major snip)
[nq:1] Frances Kemmish Production Manager East Coast Youth Ballet www.byramartscenter.com[/nq]
RAF Biggin Hill: Played a central part in the Battle of Britain; so I suppose you could say "there used to be an airshow".
Cheers, Sage
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[nq:2]A charger is a large plate upon which the plates ... courses are placed on the charger and removed in turn.[/nq]
[nq:1]A very good, and complete, explanation. How, then, is a charger different from/than a tray? I would not expect the serving tray to be left on the table.[/nq]
I inherited a couple of large silver things which were traditionally called "chargers" in the family, though
[nq:1]A very good, and complete, explanation. How, then, is a charger different from/than a tray? I would not expect the serving tray to be left on the table.[/nq]
I inherited a couple of large silver things which were traditionally called "chargers" in the family, though
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[nq:1]A very good, and complete, explanation. How, then, is a charger different from/than a tray? I would not expect the serving tray to be left on the table.[/nq]
You carry things around on a tray. The charger sits on the table and things on plates are brought to it.
John Varela
(Trade "OLD" lamps for "NEW" for email.)
I apologize for munging the address but the spam is too m
You carry things around on a tray. The charger sits on the table and things on plates are brought to it.
John Varela
(Trade "OLD" lamps for "NEW" for email.)
I apologize for munging the address but the spam is too m
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