Original post published 10/15/2018
My October baking has inspired looking into this one. Why, exactly, do we say something’s made “from scratch” if it doesn’t use a mix? Maybe y’all know this already, since it’s pretty simple, but I was clueless, LOL.
In my head, I think it may have had something to do with the meaning of scratch that comes from the verb meaning “scrape together,” as in scratching out an existence. Because, you know, you scrape together the ingredients. Literally… And I guess that’s not totally far afield.
But in fact, it’s a bit more simple than that. One of the noun meanings of scratch is “nothing.” (Which I guess I’d never really paused to consider before.) So from scratch really means from nothing. Er, nothing pre-made anyway. Interestingly, that’s been in use since 1918.
Do you like to make things from scratch, or are you more for the ease of boxes and mixes? (My answer depends on the project.)
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Roseanna M. White is a bestselling, Christy Award winning author who has long claimed that words are the air she breathes. Having successfully launched two homeschool grads, she now spends her time writing fiction, designing book covers, and pretending her house will clean itself. Roseanna is the author of a slew of historical novels that span several continents and thousands of years, as well as a fantasy series and contemporary mysteries and romances. Spies and war and mayhem always seem to find their way into her books…to offset her real life, which is blessedly ordinary. 
I knew what making something from scratch is, but had never thought of it as nothing. However, it does make sense. My answer is like yours – depends on the project. There are some things I always make from scratch, like my brownies and pie crust. My mother always made her fruitcake from scratch. I mean she even put her roaster pan across two stove burners and browned the flour. I was always in awe of watching her cut up all the fruits and put everything together. When it was baked, she wrapped it in cheese cloth and soaked it in sherry for days. We always had a fruitcake to serve to guests at Christmas. I didn’t like it as a child, but loved it as an adult. One year when my mother asked what I wanted for Christmas, I asked if she could make me a fruitcake and that became an annual tradition. When I told her that our friend always complimented her fruitcake, she started making one for him too – a cake for me and a cake for Terry. He couldn’t believe it. The cakes always came with some sherry in a little jar, so the cake wouldn’t dry out. Thank you for helping me recall this fond memory.
This was so lovely to read, Betty! I, too, have very fond memories of watching my mum cooking up a storm, particularly around Christmas! Christmas cake (which sounds very similar to your mother’s), Christmas pudding, mince pies, sausage rolls, chocolate yule log…. It was always such an exciting time and those tantalising aromas! Thanks for sharing and allowing ME to reminisce! Especially as my mum has dementia now – she still bakes on her ‘good days’, with some assistance, which makes those childhood memories even more poignant for me.
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KetoQueen
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Hi…
Great post! I enjoyed learning about the origins and uses of the phrase from scratch. It’s interesting to see how language evolves over time. Thanks for sharing!
Stay Blessed – Mel
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