About Biscuits..
Ez from Australia asks:
“I’ve read in American books about characters having “biscuits” for breakfast. With gravy. Or duck fat. In Australia, “biscuit” is another word for “cookie”. So what the heck are the biscuits that Americans are eating for breakfast? And what is the Canadian stance? ”
That’s a great question Ez..
My reply at the time:
“Short answer: Biscuits are little lumps of bread..”
I wrote back saying I would get back to with more on the subject.. Here it is Ez:
I wish I could say I’ve tried “real” American biscuits served up with gravy.. perhaps some American readers give us a good description of what it’s like (hint, hint!). All I know is that I’m missing on something really tasty..
(pic found here)
They don’t seem to be common in Canada, at least where I live. After a quick Google, I found that I can get biscuits and sausage gravy at Denny’s here in Ottawa, but after reading some reviews, I think I’ll pass.
There’s a whole section on biscuits in the Retro Breakfast book that Az bought me. Basic biscuits call for flour, salt, baking powder, shortening and milk but there are many, many variations. I guess I’ll have to try one of the recipes some weekend and report back on how it is!
Here’s a good recipe for biscuits and gravy with a nice read-up for those who are curious. I like the term “target viscosity” that the author uses for the gravy..
October 11th, 2006 at 10:39 pm
Thanks for that, mate. Is “shortening” a fancy word for “fat”, may I ask?
Have a lovely day! :-)
October 12th, 2006 at 2:21 am
Biscuits are delicious and tasty carb filled bundles of joy lol. Seriously though its like a dinner roll but much more dense and typically soft and flaky is the best but some prefer the more doughy variety. I’m surprised that just being up the road a bit in Canada you don’t have the pillbury canned variety available. They aren’t the best but they are easy.
The gravy is a bit trickier to get right but its also the best part. Basically you take a pound of ground pork sausage fry it in a large skillet until its cooked. Drain the sausage while retaining the grease. Put the grease back in the pan and add some flour. Say a few magic words to keep the flour from clumping (Something I’m not that great at but that my mom could do with her eyes closed) and this helps to thicken what you the mixture. Sorry no exact measurement but this is a common cooking technique. Then simply add milk. How much milk you add depends on how thick you want the gravy… I prefer mine thick. Add it a little at a time. Stir it constantly over medium heat to keep from sticking or burning and once its thick you add a bit of salt… a TON of black pepper turn off the heat and add the sausage back into the mix and liberaly pour over warm biscuits. Actually it can also go over scrambled eggs or potatoes or any other such thing.
As you can tell this is one of my all time favorite breakfast goodies that I dont eat often since its a major calorie bomb, but its worth every bite. BTW if you really dont like sausage you can make it in the same manner with bacon but it radically changes the flavor and I’m not much of a bacon eater so I dont like it that way. Please do try it! You wont regret it.
October 12th, 2006 at 1:46 pm
If I had to describe biscuots I would say it would be like an english Scone without the fruit or nuts. It is flaky like a scone but a little bit more moist and doughy. Great with gravy and they also make good breakfast sandwiches. The trick to making them is the same as when you make pastry. You want to incorporate the butter but you don’t want to mix them too much. When they cook the little butter pellets scattered throughout the dough steam and create a very flaky, airy bread.
October 12th, 2006 at 2:39 pm
In addition to the above “recipie” for gravy (I used quotations to denote that the production of gravy isn’t a science. Everyone makes it the way that they like it), I would like to elaborate a bit.
Biscuits and gravy is most common in the South and Mid-West (of USA). Typically the food in those regions is full of flavor and fat. Grease is a common cooking ingredient. Gravy is used as a sauce, to add a kick to something that might be a little bland or to add moisture to something that is slightly dry. Biscuits fit both of those catagories, hence: a combination made in heaven.
I don’t take my biscuits with gravy although I grew up in Memphis, TN and am getting my education in Missouri. When my mother makes gravy, she rarely uses milk. Instead she makes what she calls “red-eye gravy” which substitues coffee for milk, which is something that is very delicious.
Think of gravy as a roux with a kick. The typical differentiating factor in gravy is what type of liquid you use to thin the roux and how thin you make it.
October 15th, 2006 at 9:15 am
Biscuits are a waste.
They are aholdover from a time when many american families did not have enough money to buy enough quality food to feed their families.
Now, as a nostalgic tradition, many US diners serve them drenched in crushed up sausage and gravy.
Every couple of years I will order biscuits when I find myself sitting down for breakfast in what I consider to be an authentic US diner. I suppose I am searching for what I think is the “real” biscuit. In the end, they are always the same, and I love the sausage and grave, but wish they were poured over something other than a biscuit.
October 25th, 2006 at 12:13 pm
Biscuits like tea biscuits?
I usually have them on turkey pie covered in butter.. mmmm
October 31st, 2006 at 12:14 am
Hey, You all sound great but to let you know I am a 41 year old Wyoming native, biscuts and grave are a staple among poorer people because the ingrediants are not hard to come up with. Biscuts, for every cup of flour add 1 teaspoon of baking powder and for 3 cups of flour you would add 1/2 of that in bacon grease! add milk to moisten just enough to roll. cut with a floured glass. and bake at 400 for 20 min. there great. as for gravey here we go. 1 pound of real pork sausage, 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon of sage ( thats an herb!), fry till sausage is done, no pink, leave the drippings in the pan and add flour till it clumps up in the skillet (cast iron is best)! Then start adding milk slowly with a wisk, you know the wire things the impressive chefs use on TV. and leave you heat on med to med - high. 2 - 4 cups or more if needed wisk on med heat till thick as you like it. the drippings and flour are the thickining and the milk thins it out. so depending how thick or thin you like it, its up to you.. They are a great carb filled addition, how ever if you just a touch of tabasco sauce it will really get your day off right especially if you have a lot of heavy work to do. hope you all enjoy. lori