A sop is a piece of bread or toast that is drenched in liquid and then eaten. In

medieval cuisine Medieval cuisine includes foods, eating habits, and cooking methods of various European cultures during the Middle Ages, which lasted from the fifth to the fifteenth century. During this period, diets and cooking changed less than they did in t ...

, 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, or

wine Wine is an alcoholic drink typically made from fermented grapes. Yeast consumes the sugar in the grapes and converts it to ethanol and carbon dioxide, releasing heat in the process. Different varieties of grapes and strains of yeasts are m ...

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 A crouton is a piece of rebaked bread, often cubed and seasoned. Croutons are used to add texture and flavor to salads—notably the Caesar salad— or eaten as a snack food. Etymology The word crouton is derived from the French ''croûton' ...

traditionally served with

French onion soup French onion soup (French: ''soupe à l’oignon'' ) is a soup usually based on meat stock and onions, and often served gratinéed with croutons or a larger piece of bread covered with cheese floating on top. Ancient in origin, the dish under ...

, which took its current form in the 18th century, can be considered modern-day sops. The word '' soup'' is a cognate of ''sop'', both stemming ultimately from the same Germanic source. The word is mentioned prominently in the Bible, King James Version: In 19th century Australia, ''sop'' referred to a dish consisting of stale

damper A damper is a device that deadens, restrains, or depresses. It may refer to: Music * Damper pedal, a device that mutes musical tones, particularly in stringed instruments * A mute for various brass instruments Structure * Damper (flow), a mechan ...

, 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, to a piece of dry or even stale bread 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 was originally a secondary lighter evening meal. The main meal of the day, called dinner, used to be served closer to what is known as lunchtime, around the middle of the day, but crept later over the centuries, mostly over the course of ...

'' 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.

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

Expressions

See also

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Further reading

External links