Biscuit (bread): Difference between revisions
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==History== |
==History== |
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{{main|Biscuit}} |
{{main|Biscuit}} |
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Although the [[American English]] and [[British English]] use the same word to refer to two distinctly different modern edible foods, early hard biscuits (North American: [[cookies]]), were derived from or as a storable version of [[bread]]. |
Although the [[American English]] and [[British English]] use the same word to refer to two distinctly different modern edible foods, early hard biscuits (North American: [[cookies]]), were derived from or as a storable version of [[bread]].<ref name=FTL>{{citeweb|url=http://www.foodtimeline.org/foodcookies.html|Biscuits & Cookies|publisher=Food Timeline|accessdate=201-01-15}}</ref> |
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Earlier European settlers in the United States brought with them a simpler and easy style of cooking, most often based on ground wheat and warmed with gravy. After the first pigs that were carried from England to [[Jamestown, Virginia]] in 1608, they became popular as a home grown edible animal.<ref name=FTL/> |
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The biscuit emerged as a distinct food type in the early 1800's, post the [[American Civil War]]. [[African American]] cooks created a quick, easy and cheap to produce addition for their meals, that required no hard to store and expensive to buy yeast. Few ingredients that did not age, and a quick method of creation resulted in easy cooking. In eating, the advantage of the biscuit over a slice of bread was that as it was harder, and hence when wiping up gravy it kept its shape and form, creating the popular meal [[biscuits and gravy]]. |
The biscuit emerged as a distinct food type in the early 1800's, post the [[American Civil War]]. [[African American]] cooks created a quick, easy and cheap to produce addition for their meals, that required no hard to store and expensive to buy yeast. Few ingredients that did not age, and a quick method of creation resulted in easy cooking. In eating, the advantage of the biscuit over a slice of bread was that as it was harder, and hence when wiping up gravy it kept its shape and form, creating the popular meal [[biscuits and gravy]]. |
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Revision as of 20:16, 15 January 2010
A biscuit (Template:Pron-en) in the United States, and widely used in popular American English, is a small bread made with baking powder or baking soda as a chemical leavening agent rather than yeast.
All biscuits have a firm browned crust and a soft interior, similar to British English scone or the bannock from the Shetland Isles.
Biscuits, soda breads, and corn bread, among others, are often referred to collectively as "quick breads," to indicate that they do not need time to rise before baking.[1][2]
History
Although the American English and British English use the same word to refer to two distinctly different modern edible foods, early hard biscuits (North American: cookies), were derived from or as a storable version of bread.[3]
Earlier European settlers in the United States brought with them a simpler and easy style of cooking, most often based on ground wheat and warmed with gravy. After the first pigs that were carried from England to Jamestown, Virginia in 1608, they became popular as a home grown edible animal.[3]
The biscuit emerged as a distinct food type in the early 1800's, post the American Civil War. African American cooks created a quick, easy and cheap to produce addition for their meals, that required no hard to store and expensive to buy yeast. Few ingredients that did not age, and a quick method of creation resulted in easy cooking. In eating, the advantage of the biscuit over a slice of bread was that as it was harder, and hence when wiping up gravy it kept its shape and form, creating the popular meal biscuits and gravy.
It should be noted that perhaps these southern chefs had an advantage in creating biscuits. Northern American all-purpose flours, mainly grown in Ohio, Indiana and Illinois, are made from the hard spring wheats, that grow in a cold winter climate. Southern American bleached all-purpose flours, originally grown in the Carolinas, Georgia and Tennessee before national food distribution networks, are made from the soft winter wheat that grows in the warm southern summer. This summer growth results in wheat that has less protein, which is more suited to the creation of quick breads, as well as cookies, cakes andmuffins.[4][5]
In 1875, Alexander P. Ashbourne patented the first biscuit cutter. It consisted of a board to roll the biscuits out on, which was hinged to a metal plate with various biscuit cutter shapes mounted to it.
Cooking
Biscuits can be prepared for baking in several ways. The dough can be rolled out flat and cut into rounds, which expand when baked into flaky-layered cylinders. If extra liquid is added, the dough's texture changes to resemble stiff pancake batter so that small spoonfuls can be dropped into the baking sheet to produce "drop biscuits", which are more amorphous in texture and shape.
A type of biscuit called an "angel biscuit" contains yeast as well, as do those made with a sourdough starter.
Large drop biscuits, because of their size and rough exterior texture, are sometimes referred to as "cat head biscuits". A common variation on basic biscuits is "cheese biscuits", made by adding grated Cheddar or American cheese to the basic recipe.[6]
A sweet biscuit layered or topped with fruit (typically strawberries), juice-based syrup, and cream is called shortcake. In Canada, both sweet and savory are referred to as "biscuits," "baking powder biscuits," or "tea biscuits," although "scone" is also starting to be used.[citation needed]
Usage
Biscuits are a common and old feature of Southern U.S. cuisine and are often made with buttermilk. They are traditionally served as a side dish with a meal. As a breakfast item they are often eaten with butter and a sweet condiment such as molasses, light sugarcane syrup, sorghum syrup, honey, or fruit jam or jelly. With other meals they are usually eaten with butter or gravy instead of sweet condiments. However, biscuits and gravy (biscuits covered in country gravy) or biscuits with sausage are usually served for breakfast, sometimes as the main course.
Biscuits today are ubiquitous throughout the U.S. and feature prominently in many fast food breakfast sandwiches. The biscuit sandwich burst onto the scene primarily through the Hardee's chain of restaurants as an answer to the McDonald's Egg McMuffin.[citation needed] Along with the traditional country ham, Hardee's added sausage, cheese, eggs, steak, and even chicken to the breakfast bread. In addition, biscuits are commonly found as a side dish at fried chicken restaurants such as Kentucky Fried Chicken, Church's Chicken, Chicken Express, Popeyes Chicken & Biscuits, and Bojangles' Famous Chicken n' Biscuits.
Pre-shaped ready-to-bake biscuits can be purchased in supermarkets, in the form of small refrigerated cylindrical segments of dough encased in a cardboard can.
References
- ^ Irma S. Rombauer (2006). The Joy of Cooking. New York: Scribner. p. 627. ISBN 9780743246262.
{{cite book}}: Unknown parameter|coauthors=ignored (|author=suggested) (help) - ^ Ojakangas, Beatrice A. (2003). Quick Breads. U of Minnesota P. p. 1. ISBN 9780816642281.
{{cite book}}: Unknown parameter|coauthors=ignored (|author=suggested) (help) - ^ a b . Food Timeline http://www.foodtimeline.org/foodcookies.html. Retrieved 201-01-15.
{{cite web}}: Check date values in:|accessdate=(help); Missing or empty|title=(help); Text "Biscuits & Cookies" ignored (help) - ^ "Biscuit Bakers' Treasured Mill Moves North". New York Times. 2008-06-18. Retrieved 2010-01-15.
- ^ "How to make the best Buttermilk Biscuits". pinchmysalt.com. Retrieved 2010-01-15.
- ^ Better Home's and Garden Cookbook