The Biscuit argument

1. 0

   Brenda Durhamposted 12 years ago

   Okay, so hubby and I have a disagreement on what a biscuit is.
   He thinks it should be soft, flaky, but no firm crust, rather like what I call a roll.  It'll basically be just a piece of dough after gravy's put on it.
   I think it should be soft inside, with a flaky but firm, rather crunchy outside, so that when ya put gravy on it, it still retains the outer crunch.
   What say you?

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      PhoenixVposted 12 years agoin reply to this

      Definitely crunchy outside for me too. Biscuits with sausage gravy just wouldnt be civilized any way else. Gotta be crunchy enough to "sop up some gravy". lol a roll just wouldnt be the same. Now I'm hungry lol thanks

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         Brenda Durhamposted 12 years agoin reply to this

         haha
         cool.  You're the kinda biscuit-lover I am.  Chalk up one for my side! 

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            PhoenixVposted 12 years agoin reply to this

            I was just thinking, rolls are good with butter, but if you are talking butter and jelly, there's nothing like a crunchy biscuit like you're talking about imo.

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               Brenda Durhamposted 12 years agoin reply to this

               Yes, that's exactly right!

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      Dave Mathewsposted 12 years agoin reply to this

      Brenda you have me confused just a little but I will try to answer this.  First let me say that to a Canadian a biscuit is like a cookie so I don't know why I or anyone else would be putting gravy on it.
      
      If you are referring to a tea-bisquit, it should be soft and flaky with no firm crust, and a tea-biscuit is sweet too.
      
      I believe Brenda you are referring to a dinner roll.

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      Woman Of Courageposted 12 years agoin reply to this

      Hi Brenda, I don't eat biscuits much so I can enjoy them soft or crunchy without gravy.

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      dutchman1951posted 12 years agoin reply to this

      I vote for your Hubby's definition, crunchy is for pilate's not biscuits, I am ok with a firm outside surface also, but prefer soft and flakey. and If the gravy is correct consistancy it will sit up on the biscuit, not saturate or soak it to soggy, like water!
      
      but I am picky, so do not mind me!   
      
      
      crunchy =burnt or over time in oven or not proper temp

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         Brenda Durhamposted 12 years agoin reply to this

         You meanie, taking the other side! 
         
         haha

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            dutchman1951posted 12 years agoin reply to this

            lol.....had to, the poor guy is out numbered!
            
            if it any console, My wife just looked at this and said; "You dont know a good Biscuit from a dough ball!......he he he he

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               Brenda Durhamposted 12 years agoin reply to this

               haha
               I think I like your wife! 

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2. 68

   Michael Willisposted 12 years ago

   I say your husband loses this argument. I agree with the biscuit you described.

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      Brenda Durhamposted 12 years agoin reply to this

      Awesome!  I'm winning!
      
      (So far anyway.  haha).

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3. 67

   Peter Hogganposted 12 years ago

   A UK court ruling decided that the distinction between biscuits and cakes was that biscuits go soft when stale, while cakes go hard. In the UK value added tax is applied to chocolate covered biscuits but not chocolate covered cakes so a legal definition was necessary.
   
   Not that this is any use whatsoever because the  definition of biscuit being discussed here does not exist in the UK. Language usage is a strange thing.

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      Susana Sposted 12 years agoin reply to this

      That is a very enlightening bit of trivia Peter. No wonder my fav triple choc cookies are so bloody expensive!

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      earnestshubposted 12 years agoin reply to this

      Same goes for Australia.

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   Peter Owenposted 12 years ago

   I wonder if this is a geographical distinction. Sausage and biscuit is a Southern US phenomenon if I recall. Might also be southwest, I don't know. I don't think it is a Northern or Western menu item in the morning.
   I am Norh US and say a biscuit is usually soft, flaky, soft crust. dinner roll is soft, not flaky.
   Soft, flaky, hard crust - actually I don't think I encounter them inthe north that much, but would probably also call them a biscuit - maybe a Hard biscuit to distinguish it.

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      TamCorposted 12 years agoin reply to this

      It's on the menu in Ohio!   It's a staple, as a matter of fact, lol...
      
      Of course, the best sausage gravy and biscuits I've ever had were from my aunt in Tennessee...
      
      And I'm with you, Brenda, on what a biscuit is!!! 

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   Emile Rposted 12 years ago

   I would venture to guess you are both right. A biscuit, sans gravy, should be soft inside and out. A biscuit covered in gravy is better if it has a firmer exterior, to allow more differentiation between the two; otherwise the full flavor and texture of the biscuit is in jeopardy of being overpowered as the gravy is absorbed.

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   Ron Montgomeryposted 12 years ago

   
   
   mmmmmmmmmmmm

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      PhoenixVposted 12 years agoin reply to this

      Now that's a biscuit.

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      Brenda Durhamposted 12 years agoin reply to this

      I agree with PhoenixV........yum!  Now those look like the kinda biscuits I'm talkin' about.
      Except I can't eat sausage, so I prefer plain gravy or with chipped beef in it.

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   lynnechandlerposted 12 years ago

   Dinner rolls are made with yeast and are allowed to rise, thus creating a soft center with a slightly crunchy for lack of a better word exterior.
   
   Biscuits are made from buttermilk, flour, lard and rolled in to a dough similar to what a pie crust would be. They are then cut into shape and place on a well buttered pan for baking to get that nice crunchy bottom, while the tops are baked to a golden brown. These are great with many things such as milk gravy, red-eye gravy, country ham, sausage, bacon, eggs. They just over all make for a better creation than a dinner roll does, though the dinner roll does have its place.

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      recommend1posted 12 years agoin reply to this

      So this biscuit you are all talking about is a block of pastry ?

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         lynnechandlerposted 12 years agoin reply to this

         Basically, most just cut it into circles or shape it into balls and then flatten them to rise in the oven while cooking. But yes, if you add chocolate to them they make great little hidden treasure treats, coat them with butter and honey and you have a delicious sweet snack. They are very versatile.

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8. 60

   Disturbiaposted 12 years ago

   GAG! Biscuits, sausage and gravy, I haven't eaten anything like that since I lived in Texas over 20 years ago and now even the thought of it makes me cringe. It's nothing but starch, fat, and a load of sodium sitting on a plate just waiting to attack your waistline and your arteries.

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9. 62

   Lisa HWposted 12 years ago

   Even in the US, here - they sell cookies that are called "biscuits" (particularly if they're imported).  Having said that, a "biscuit", to me, is the thing that McDonalds sells for breakfast and calls it a "bacon and egg biscuit" (even though I, personally, don't eat those).
   
   (One of the Pillsbury "Poppin Fresh" ROLLS packages say, "biscuits" - but in my book, they aren't biscuits.  They're rolls.    )
   
   I, personally, am open to calling cookies, "biscuits" (if they're imported, or just if someone feels like calling them that).  On the other hand, I'm absolutely against calling any bread-like thing, roll-like thing, or other bread-related thing a "biscuit" if it isn't, in fact, a true biscuit.     
   
   

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    hubzerposted 12 years ago

    Most women will say men are right most of the time in a debate or even a biscuit argument. lol Now ,I go to Bojangles for the made-from-scratch buttermilk biscuit way too much.My opinion you win this argument.

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       Eaglekiwiposted 12 years agoin reply to this

       Bojangles I love!!
       We relocated to Ohio and no Bojangles -wahhhhh....
       
       
       Found Popeyes all is well again!

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    freecampingaussieposted 12 years ago

    Here are some Anzac biscuits from a bakery in WA
    

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       Sally's Troveposted 12 years agoin reply to this

       I never heard of these. So I did a little surfing for their ingredients and history. Awesome! But they surely are hugely different from the American biscuit.

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          Eaglekiwiposted 12 years agoin reply to this

          They taste a lil like Oatmeal cookies,only ANZACS have a more buttery flavour and I think in the homemade recipe ,I used Golden Syrup-U.S would use maybe corn or karo syrup but other than that very similar.

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12. 78

    Sally's Troveposted 12 years ago

    An American biscuit is as you describe, Brenda.
    
    When you pop a biscuit open with your fingers (not cutting with a knife), you get a neat separation into two pieces where the inside is soft. If you try to do that with a dinner roll, you wind up having to tear it apart; there's no neat separation.
    
    As others have said, dinner rolls are made with yeast and have very little fat; biscuits use baking powder for leavening and have loads of fat.
    
    You win!

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    Greek Oneposted 12 years ago

    Wikipedia...
    
    In the United States it is a small soft leavened bread, somewhat similar to a scone.
    
    In Commonwealth English, it is a small and hard, often sweet, baked product that would be called either a cookie or a cracker in the United States.

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    Daniel Carterposted 12 years ago

    In the US, baking powder biscuits (also such things made from Bisquick) and Parker House (and the like) rolls. There is a difference in purpose, texture and ingredients. Rolls are generally a slightly more formal presentation, from what I can gather.
    
    Biscuits abroad, as already described are very often quite different than US usage of the word.

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    recommend1posted 12 years ago

    OK - so a biscuit is a soft or crunchy scone that is loaded with lard - and is used in place of a bread roll, or where we would put toast in the UK, or a dumpling in a stew or on top of a steadk and kidney steamed pudding ??
    
    In fact it sounds exactly like a dumpling that is baked rather than steamed.

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       Eaglekiwiposted 12 years agoin reply to this

       More like a scone made with lard(instead of butter) and Ive just tried some with honey lightly drizzled on for last few mins of baking
       
       (Like Churches ,Bojangles and Popeyes Biscuits)

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    eatlikenooneposted 12 years ago

    I think it comes to the method used to make it. Biscuits are made using what is known as the biscuit method, where the fat is cut into the dry ingredients and then the wet ingredients are added on top to form the dough. This is the same method I use to make pie crust and crackers.

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       Brenda Durhamposted 12 years agoin reply to this

       Maybe it is the method that makes the difference.
       
       Wow, from reading the replies here, it seems the definition of biscuit is even more complicated than I thought!

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    Peter Owenposted 12 years ago

    Seems the mystery of the biscuit has been solved with the buttermilk scenario.
    That means this thread will probably turn into a Does God Exist debate since people like to keep the thread going.

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    rebekahELLEposted 12 years ago

    I think you win Brenda. They need a crunch, even if subtle.
    My favorite biscuits, which I don't eat often, are from Red Lobster, the Cheddar biscuits.. yummm.
    
    

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       Brenda Durhamposted 12 years agoin reply to this

       Those do look like they've got some crunch to them.
       
       Cool that I'm winning!   I never win anything. Well, almost never.  I'm so happy!

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