Lagniappe

This Louisiana Creole word means a "little extra something". It could be a mint on your pillow, a free cup of coffee, or an extra beignet in your bag. Kind of like a baker's dozen, but different. A Lagniappe is a freebie, given as a thank you, just a "little special" as they say on the Gulf Coast.

A baker's dozen traces it's origin back to a 13th century English law from the Assize of Bread & Ale. The court threatened draconian penalties on bakers and brewers who cheated their patrons. To insure they would abide by the law, bakers would add an extra loaf, roll, etc. Ergo, the baker's dozen is 13. There is no historical reference as to what the brewers did. Could that be why the Imperial pint is 20 0z. and our avoirdupois pint is 16 oz.? I'm not sure, but whenever I visit a public house and they serve their best bitter in an Imperial pint glass, I consider it a lagniappe. - as ever - BB

"He who has not been to a tavern knows not what a paradise it is." - Henry Wadsworth Longfellow