Author Topic: Why Most of America Is Terrible at Making Biscuits  (Read 30339 times)

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Offline RoosGirl

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Why Most of America Is Terrible at Making Biscuits
« on: November 25, 2018, 12:47:34 am »
https://www.theatlantic.com/health/archive/2018/11/better-biscuits-south-thanksgiving/576526/

For 25 years in Georgia, I watched my mom make the same batch of six light, fluffy biscuits for breakfast almost every Sunday. Then I moved to New York, never to see a light, fluffy biscuit again. I arrived in the city in 2011, just in time for southern food to get trendy outside its region, and for three years, I bit into a series of artisanal hockey pucks, all advertised on menus as authentic southern buttermilk biscuits.

With every dense, dry, flat, scone-adjacent clump of carbohydrates, I became more distressed. I didn’t even realize biscuits could be bad, given how abundant good ones were in the South. Even my mom, a reluctant-at-best cook, made them every week without batting an eyelash. The recipe she used had been on my dad’s side of the family for at least three generations.

The more bad biscuits I ordered in New York, the clearer it became that there was only one way out of this problem if I ever wanted to have a decent Sunday breakfast again: I had to make the biscuits for myself. I did not anticipate the hurdles of chemistry and the American food-distribution system that stood in my way.

Continued at link.

Offline Idaho_Cowboy

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Re: Why Most of America Is Terrible at Making Biscuits
« Reply #1 on: November 25, 2018, 04:29:28 pm »
If you want good biscuits use lard. Trust me it works.
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Offline goodwithagun

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Re: Why Most of America Is Terrible at Making Biscuits
« Reply #2 on: November 25, 2018, 04:35:59 pm »
If you want good biscuits use lard. Trust me it works.

I prefer butter; either way, just say no to Crisco.
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Offline RoosGirl

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Re: Why Most of America Is Terrible at Making Biscuits
« Reply #3 on: November 25, 2018, 04:57:05 pm »
According to the article the fat used doesn't make much difference.  The flour is what makes the difference, and the author recommends, based on the properties of different types of wheat, using flour made from soft wheat instead of hard wheat.

Offline goodwithagun

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Re: Why Most of America Is Terrible at Making Biscuits
« Reply #4 on: November 25, 2018, 05:02:35 pm »
According to the article the fat used doesn't make much difference.  The flour is what makes the difference, and the author recommends, based on the properties of different types of wheat, using flour made from soft wheat instead of hard wheat.

I just don’t like the chemically engineered stuff. Give me lard or butter, but margarine and Crisco are a hard no. I’ll try the wheat trick. We live near Amish country and I can sometimes get things like that.
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Offline 240B

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Re: Why Most of America Is Terrible at Making Biscuits
« Reply #5 on: November 25, 2018, 05:07:40 pm »
I prefer butter; either way, just say no to Crisco.
I agree. Butter biscuits are heaven on Earth.
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Offline Dexter

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Re: Why Most of America Is Terrible at Making Biscuits
« Reply #6 on: November 25, 2018, 05:09:06 pm »
Grandma taught me how to make some kick ass biscuits and gravy!
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Offline RoosGirl

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Re: Why Most of America Is Terrible at Making Biscuits
« Reply #7 on: November 25, 2018, 05:16:19 pm »
I just don’t like the chemically engineered stuff. Give me lard or butter, but margarine and Crisco are a hard no. I’ll try the wheat trick. We live near Amish country and I can sometimes get things like that.

I agree, I stick with more natural products.  There are certain brands of flour that use soft wheat.  The article talks about White Lily, but that's generally only available in the south.  I think King Arthur brand also uses soft wheat.

Offline goodwithagun

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Re: Why Most of America Is Terrible at Making Biscuits
« Reply #8 on: November 25, 2018, 05:18:06 pm »
I agree, I stick with more natural products.  There are certain brands of flour that use soft wheat.  The article talks about White Lily, but that's generally only available in the south.  I think King Arthur brand also uses soft wheat.

My father-in-law is a Smuckers retiree and they have a kickass company store. I’ll ask him to look for it next trip there.
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Offline Frank Cannon

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Re: Why Most of America Is Terrible at Making Biscuits
« Reply #9 on: November 25, 2018, 05:19:44 pm »
Then I moved to New York....

Yeah, and I'll bet the bagels and marinara sauce blow in GA too.

Offline goodwithagun

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Re: Why Most of America Is Terrible at Making Biscuits
« Reply #10 on: November 25, 2018, 05:23:12 pm »
Then I moved to New York....

Yeah, and I'll bet the bagels and marinara sauce blow in GA too.
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Offline RoosGirl

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Re: Why Most of America Is Terrible at Making Biscuits
« Reply #11 on: November 25, 2018, 05:27:46 pm »
My father-in-law is a Smuckers retiree and they have a kickass company store. I’ll ask him to look for it next trip there.

Oh yeah, I think the article says that Smuckers owns White Lily now.

Looks like Bob's Red Mill Pastry flour is soft wheat.

Offline 240B

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Re: Why Most of America Is Terrible at Making Biscuits
« Reply #12 on: November 25, 2018, 05:28:41 pm »
If you can't make a decent biscuit, (the simplest and oldest form of bread ever) then you can't boil water and should not be in a kitchen.

If you can't put an IKEA end table together, then you should not be woodworking.

This article reminds me of all those infomercials where cooking an egg, opening a can, or pouring a glass of milk is incredibly difficult, and cannot be done correctly by mere mortals.
You cannot "COEXIST" with people who want to kill you.
If they kill their own with no conscience, there is nothing to stop them from killing you.
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Offline RoosGirl

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Re: Why Most of America Is Terrible at Making Biscuits
« Reply #13 on: November 25, 2018, 05:29:13 pm »
Then I moved to New York....

Yeah, and I'll bet the bagels and marinara sauce blow in GA too.

Bagels and marinara sauce?  Sounds disgusting.  I like butter on my bagel or occasionally cream cheese.

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Re: Why Most of America Is Terrible at Making Biscuits
« Reply #14 on: November 25, 2018, 05:40:57 pm »
I found it amusing this Amanda chick watched these biscuits being made scores of times over a quarter century, yet can't figure out how to make them, so she whines nobody in NYC can either.  How freakin helpless can you get?
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Re: Why Most of America Is Terrible at Making Biscuits
« Reply #15 on: November 25, 2018, 05:41:56 pm »
Bagels and marinara sauce?  Sounds disgusting.  I like butter on my bagel or occasionally cream cheese.

I dunno.  I just got a craving for some bagels with marinara dipping sauce....
For unvaccinated, we are looking at a winter of severe illness and death — if you’re unvaccinated — for themselves, their families, and the hospitals they’ll soon overwhelm. Sloe Joe Biteme 12/16
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Offline RoosGirl

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Re: Why Most of America Is Terrible at Making Biscuits
« Reply #16 on: November 25, 2018, 05:42:07 pm »
I found it amusing this Amanda chick watched these biscuits being made scores of times over a quarter century, yet can't figure out how to make them, so she whines nobody in NYC can either.  How freakin helpless can you get?

Wow, you read a totally different article than I did.

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Re: Why Most of America Is Terrible at Making Biscuits
« Reply #17 on: November 25, 2018, 06:38:10 pm »
Wow, you read a totally different article than I did.

It must be.  I missed the recipe part. :shrug:
For unvaccinated, we are looking at a winter of severe illness and death — if you’re unvaccinated — for themselves, their families, and the hospitals they’ll soon overwhelm. Sloe Joe Biteme 12/16
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Offline RoosGirl

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Re: Why Most of America Is Terrible at Making Biscuits
« Reply #18 on: November 25, 2018, 06:40:57 pm »
It must be.  I missed the recipe part. :shrug:

3 ingredients; self-rising flour, lard/butter, buttermilk 

Offline roamer_1

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Re: Why Most of America Is Terrible at Making Biscuits
« Reply #19 on: November 26, 2018, 01:20:11 am »
3 ingredients; self-rising flour, lard/butter, buttermilk

Buttermilk is the commitment. And it is tough for me to make... I know what it is worth, but without steadily making biscuits, pancakes, or buttermilk bread, it is a hard thing to keep in the fridge. Half of it always goes bad. I guess my use of it is off-balance.  :shrug:


Offline goodwithagun

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Re: Why Most of America Is Terrible at Making Biscuits
« Reply #20 on: November 26, 2018, 01:25:03 am »
Grandma taught me how to make some kick ass biscuits and gravy!

Do you like spicy? If so, swap out the breakfast sausage for chorizo (the fresh in casings, not the cured) and add cheddar cheese and fresh chives to your biscuits. Breakfast for dinner, or brinner as we call it.
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Offline RoosGirl

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Re: Why Most of America Is Terrible at Making Biscuits
« Reply #21 on: November 26, 2018, 01:30:22 am »
Buttermilk is the commitment. And it is tough for me to make... I know what it is worth, but without steadily making biscuits, pancakes, or buttermilk bread, it is a hard thing to keep in the fridge. Half of it always goes bad. I guess my use of it is off-balance.  :shrug:

https://www.tasteofhome.com/cooking-tips/ask-the-test-kitchen/buttermilk-substitute

Offline Elderberry

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Re: Why Most of America Is Terrible at Making Biscuits
« Reply #22 on: November 26, 2018, 01:39:41 am »
If you want good biscuits use lard. Trust me it works.

I'll remember that. I usually have some lard on hand as when cut with turpentine it makes an excellent thread cutting lubricant.

Offline Elderberry

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Re: Why Most of America Is Terrible at Making Biscuits
« Reply #23 on: November 26, 2018, 01:42:09 am »
Buttermilk is the commitment. And it is tough for me to make... I know what it is worth, but without steadily making biscuits, pancakes, or buttermilk bread, it is a hard thing to keep in the fridge. Half of it always goes bad. I guess my use of it is off-balance.  :shrug:

Freeze your left-over buttermilk. It keeps just fine frozen.

Offline Dexter

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Re: Why Most of America Is Terrible at Making Biscuits
« Reply #24 on: November 26, 2018, 01:52:44 am »
Do you like spicy? If so, swap out the breakfast sausage for chorizo (the fresh in casings, not the cured) and add cheddar cheese and fresh chives to your biscuits. Breakfast for dinner, or brinner as we call it.

Thanks for the advice! I love spicy food.
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