By Isadora Pennington
Ah, the biscuit. I could write sonnets describing your loveliness. Fluffy, buttery, flakey, good with sweet or savory flavors – biscuits are all things good.
The term biscuit is originally derived from the combination of two Latin terms: “bis,” which means twice, and “coctus,” which means “to cook,” roughly equating to the phrase “twice-cooked.” Around the time that the term was coined in the 14th century, the process for making biscuits involved a two-step process, first being baked and then being put in a low heat oven to dry out. The term has evolved to mean a few different varieties on that original invention since then, with notable differences depending on region and languages.
For example, if you were to travel to England and order a biscuit at a cafe, you would get a pastry that’s more akin to what we would call a cookie with a layer of creme or sweet filling in between two flat biscuits. But the origins of biscuits go back even further than that. Starting around the seventh century, bakers in the Persian empire began adding new ingredients to improve the taste of bread with eggs, butter, and cream, and as the original biscuits were hard, dry, and unsweetened, with creativity came more inventive recipes.
For many of our readers, it’s likely that the warmth of a freshly baked biscuit conjures up warm memories of family breakfasts or sipping mimosas over brunch as it does for me. This month I went out in search of my favorite biscuits and sampled them for your consideration, so check out these great spots the next time you’re craving a biscuit of your very own.
Flying Biscuit Cafe
Fluffy Flying Biscuit with Cranberry Apple Butter
1655 McLendon Ave. NE
flyingbiscuit.com, (404) 687-8888
Homegrown
Plain Ol’ Homemade Biscuit
968 Memorial Drive SE.
homegrownga.com, (404) 222-0455
Callie’s Hot Little BIscuits
Handmade Buttermilk Biscuit
1004 Virginia Ave. NE
calliesbiscuits.com, (404) 330-8285
Ria’s Bluebird Cafe
Classic Buttermilk Biscuit with Butter
421 Memorial Drive SE.
riasbluebird.com, (404) 521-3737