I think it has to do with the fact that every scone I’ve ever had is particularly dry and very dense. An American biscuit is denser than an average slice of bread, but still generally quite moist and spongy.
Maybe scones hit differently when they are very fresh? In the US we get scones almost exclusively at coffee shops or bakeries from the front window and I’ve never had one that was offered hot.
Edit: I would suggest a biscuit here is more like… Almost a croissant with thicker layers? Or like a stack of pancakes (made the European “crepe” sort of way, so pretty thin) but with thinner layers? Lol. It’s hard to exactly characterize.
A perfect southern American biscuit is fluffy, layered, tender, buttery. Much more like a croissant than the scones we get here. They are just as good smeared with sweet jam, jellies, and honey as the are paired with mashed potatoes, gravy, and sausages. Usually best served hot, fresh out of the oven. They almost melt in your mouth in a good way.
(My grandma made amazing southern biscuits: white flour, cold butter or shortening or lard, baking powder, salt, mix with fingers til crumbly, pour in enough buttermilk to just mix a soft dough. Roll out, cut into rounds, place on baking pan, brush with melted butter, goes into a hot oven. When tops are golden brown pull out and enjoy. They should be double to 3 times the height of rolled out dough. Work fast because overworked dough gets tough and loses some rise)
Scones here are usually cold, dry, dense, and crumbly. I’ve had sweet and savory scones. They seem like they are made to soak up some sort of liquid or be washed down with coffee or tea. I think we what we get given as scones are either stale or a prank.
The scones available in the American South suck. They suck when I have made them myself. I’ve tried 3 different recipes. I can make some buttermilk biscuits though, and they are glorious. So either scones suck, like in general, or they don’t bake right in our climate.
I was raised by Southern women and you know what? This is accurate. The Southern style biscuit is basically an American scone. I’d never considered this before, but it is correct.
Ah OK, so biscuit means savoury scones.
Every time I have this conversation with Americans they insist that it’s nothing like scones but then they describe something suspiciously sconelike
I think it has to do with the fact that every scone I’ve ever had is particularly dry and very dense. An American biscuit is denser than an average slice of bread, but still generally quite moist and spongy.
Maybe scones hit differently when they are very fresh? In the US we get scones almost exclusively at coffee shops or bakeries from the front window and I’ve never had one that was offered hot.
Edit: I would suggest a biscuit here is more like… Almost a croissant with thicker layers? Or like a stack of pancakes (made the European “crepe” sort of way, so pretty thin) but with thinner layers? Lol. It’s hard to exactly characterize.
Exactly!!
A perfect southern American biscuit is fluffy, layered, tender, buttery. Much more like a croissant than the scones we get here. They are just as good smeared with sweet jam, jellies, and honey as the are paired with mashed potatoes, gravy, and sausages. Usually best served hot, fresh out of the oven. They almost melt in your mouth in a good way. (My grandma made amazing southern biscuits: white flour, cold butter or shortening or lard, baking powder, salt, mix with fingers til crumbly, pour in enough buttermilk to just mix a soft dough. Roll out, cut into rounds, place on baking pan, brush with melted butter, goes into a hot oven. When tops are golden brown pull out and enjoy. They should be double to 3 times the height of rolled out dough. Work fast because overworked dough gets tough and loses some rise)
Scones here are usually cold, dry, dense, and crumbly. I’ve had sweet and savory scones. They seem like they are made to soak up some sort of liquid or be washed down with coffee or tea. I think we what we get given as scones are either stale or a prank.
That is also clarifying. Thank you.
It’s a buttery scone with the layered texture of a croissant that’s had a weight pressed down on it.
This is the best description
sconophobia is deeply ingrained in the american south
The scones available in the American South suck. They suck when I have made them myself. I’ve tried 3 different recipes. I can make some buttermilk biscuits though, and they are glorious. So either scones suck, like in general, or they don’t bake right in our climate.
No. Absolutely not. Unlike scones, biscuits have a nice texture.
A good scone is kinda crunchy outside with a nice soft inside. They change texture pretty quickly though.
I’m doing something wrong then. Mine come out more arid than desert sand.
I was raised by Southern women and you know what? This is accurate. The Southern style biscuit is basically an American scone. I’d never considered this before, but it is correct.