The Conversation (0)
Sinead Butler
Apr 30, 2021
What do you call this breakfast food food? It’s left people divided on Twitter.
Getty Images/iStockphoto
We can always count on Twitter to ask life’s important questions and what we call one of our favourite, quintessentially British breakfast foods is today’s topic of debate.
It all started when Michelle Dewberry on Twitter said:
“I am eating these [image of said food] as I type (I am great at multitasking) I can not help but call these Pikelets, much to @Sjopinion10 disagreement... What do you call them? #ImportantQuestions#FirstWorldProblems”
I am eating these as I type (I am great at multitasking) I can not help but call these Pikelets, much to… https://t.co/DInCwTkq5K— Michelle Dewberry (@Michelle Dewberry) 1619732220
Of course, this sparked widespread reaction with hundreds of replies to Michelle’s tweet and caused both the words “Crumpet” and “Pikelet” to start trending on Twitter today.
The debate has left many people divided on what the correct word is for the buttery breakfast food and the results seemed to vary according to where people live.
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@MichelleDewbs @Sjopinion10 Family always called them Pikelets growing up in Midlands. Labelled as Crumpets now & t… https://t.co/gwUg5kSp20— Nigel Hill (@Nigel Hill) 1619732656
@MichelleDewbs @Sjopinion10 I grew up in Market Weighton, not far from you in Hull, and we used to call them pikele… https://t.co/9KnosXKCTa— Glen (@Glen) 1619734178
@MichelleDewbs @aBitSquirrely @Sjopinion10 I’m from Hull and they’re crumpets aren’t they???— feckless fox 💙💙💙 (@feckless fox 💙💙💙) 1619764688
@MichelleDewbs @Sjopinion10 Always called them pikelets as well (North Nottinghamshire)— hvanderczz (@hvanderczz) 1619780905
Others were not happy with them both being described as the same thing and responded by explaining the difference between the two.
@MichelleDewbs @Sjopinion10 Sorry, you are wrong, like so many others. Crumpets are fat, Pikelets are thin……always… https://t.co/dQVMDEjkSp— Dawn Laycock (@Dawn Laycock) 1619762383
@MichelleDewbs @Sjopinion10 These are Pikelets. You’re eating crumpets. Outrageous. One of the most appalling piece… https://t.co/6yVyExipLX— Baz Ryan 🇵🇸 🇨🇺 (@Baz Ryan 🇵🇸 🇨🇺) 1619769664
@MichelleDewbs @Sjopinion10 They are crumpets, these are pikelets. https://t.co/117cQXHoIu— stacey kenyon (@stacey kenyon) 1619771414
A few people mentioned that their parents and grandparents used the word “pikelet” when they were growing up.
@MichelleDewbs @Sjopinion10 I grew up and still live in Leeds. My grandma and grandad always called them pikelets w… https://t.co/KTgdiKvbvn— John Baron (@John Baron) 1619734865
@MichelleDewbs @Sjopinion10 My Mother and Father came from Grimsby always called them Pikelets, so do I. This my wi… https://t.co/YKxz80BqlQ— Peter Pawlett (@Peter Pawlett) 1619762926
@MichelleDewbs @Sjopinion10 My Dear old Nan called them pikelets, but they are definitely crumpets. Have you tried… https://t.co/DmTuaRw06a— Daniel Laird (@Daniel Laird) 1619781650
Some had never even heard of the word “pikelet” before.
@MichelleDewbs @Sjopinion10 What in gods name is a Pikelet??? Ma'am that's a crumpet!— Jack (@Jack) 1619776448
My wife calls them Pikelets. I'd never heard of that name before, to me they are crumpets and always will be crumpe… https://t.co/Go2kNT2A4h— Mendez (@Mendez) 1619770966
i call them 'crumpets'. never heard of 'pikelets' before. https://t.co/KGMvgXbY9r— SloaneGhetti (@SloaneGhetti) 1619782041
Is there a difference between a crumpet and a pikelet?
Yes, the main difference being the thickness of the dough.
A pikelet is not cooked in a ring so it is thinner and has more freedom in shape. The crumpet was originally hard until the Victoria era when it became the soft and spongy texture we are familiar with today.
According to Crumpet Man, the pikelet is believed to be of Welsh origin where it was known as ‘bara pyglyd’, meaning “dark or sticky bread,” later was anglicised as a pikelet.
Though it appears that in some regions, pikelet is also used to describe a crumpet, namely in the Midlands, and Yorkshire.
So, what side of the crumpet vs pikelet debate are you on?