Today’s myth: in the Middle Ages and the 16th century in big houses they cut the top off loaves of bread because the bottom might be burned. The upper crust was given to the rich and the burned bottom was given to the servants. So we call the upper class the upper crust. It seems people did sometimes cut off the top of the loaf (it’s mentioned in a book published in the 15th century).
But it’s most unlikely that is the origin of the phrase. There is no evidence that the upper class was ever called the upper crust at that time. The rich were first called the upper crust in the 19th century, long afterward. The phrase was probably just a joke, comparing them to the upper crust of a loaf. It probably has nothing to do with actual loaves. 🍞
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