Sep
04
2009
The proof is in the puddin’
Posted by admin in Arts/Politics, Random Stuff, Wrong-sized ThingsWhat the hell does that mean, anyway “the proof is in the puddin”?
So here are my glamour shots from my stint as the easter bunny at the 99cent mall, in response to a recent comment.
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http://www.word-detective.com/081100.html#proofpudding
“The entire phrase is “the proof of the pudding is in the eating,” meaning that the true value or quality of a thing can only be judged when it is put to use. (“Proof” in this context means “the act of testing,” rather than our more common “conclusive evidence” sense.) “The proof of the pudding is in the eating” dates back to around 1600, and is more often heard in the United Kingdom than the U.S., probably because puddings of various kinds occupy a more prominent place on the dinner table there.
“The proof is in the pudding,” a fairly common mutation of the proverb, does make a certain amount of sense, i.e., that the final product, not the recipe, is what counts. But personally, I can’t shake the feeling that “the proof is in the pudding” would make an excellent last line for a Sherlock Holmes mystery.”