What's For Breakfast?

[Aliantha]

A round of sandwiches is just one sandwich. A round of toast is just one slice of toast, unless you're going to make two slices of toast into a sandwich I guess.

My mum used to use that phrase quite often, and that was always the context.

If there were a few kids over and Mum was making sandwiches for us, she'd say, "I'll just make a few rounds of sandwiches.", meaning more than one sandwich.

I don't know for a fact, but I suspect the term is quite old and from the days prior to bread tins when most loaves were rounder rather than square.

[Sundae]

Originally Posted by Aliantha

A round of sandwiches is just one sandwich. A round of toast is just one slice of toast, unless you're going to make two slices of toast into a sandwich I guess.

That's as I suspected. But can you see why it doesn't make sense?
A sandwich is two slices of bread and a filling.
So the "round" unnecessary.
A slice of toast is a slice of toast. See above.

Not criticising your late mother of course Ali.

It just seems wrong to me.
I think it comes from the fact sandwiches and toast are often cut up. So you think you are eating more. Hence a round could be shared. Not by me of course - I will scratch and bite you.

Interesting idea re rounded bread, but baking loaves in tins has been around for a long time. Surely longer than sandwiches? Feel free to correct me - I can't be arsed to look into it. It might make my ranting feel irrelevant.

[Urbane Guerrilla]

Originally Posted by Aliantha

A round of sandwiches is just one sandwich. A round of toast is just one slice of toast, unless you're going to make two slices of toast into a sandwich I guess.

My mum used to use that phrase quite often, and that was always the context.

If there were a few kids over and Mum was making sandwiches for us, she'd say, "I'll just make a few rounds of sandwiches.", meaning more than one sandwich.

I don't know for a fact, but I suspect the term is quite old and from the days prior to bread tins when most loaves were rounder rather than square.

Maybe the idea is like a round of ammunition. The whole requires two or more components to actually do its job: shot ain't much without powder, and vice versa. Bread plus peanut butter plus jelly.