Okay, I'll ask the dumb question.
'Biscuits & gravy'?
What type of biscuits?
I'm assuming that this is a language thingy, as I have never seen 'biscuits' on a breakfast menu here in Australia.

quote:

Originally posted by Pauline:
Okay, I'll ask the dumb question.
'Biscuits & gravy'?
What type of biscuits?
I'm assuming that this is a language thingy, as I have never seen 'biscuits' on a breakfast menu here in Australia.

Pauline,

Did you see biscuits and gravy on the menu's in America, I saw it in Alaska. What did you think of the coffee in Canada and America?

Missie, no, didn't see any breakfast menu's when I was in Canada and it wasn't on the breakfast menu at my Washington DC hotel.
'what are the biscuits'??
The coffee that I had in both Canada and the USA, was just fine.
Mind you, I have to say, that coffee doesn't affect/effect me, the way it seems to do so with some other people.

quote:

Originally posted by Pauline:
Okay, I'll ask the dumb question.
'Biscuits & gravy'?
What type of biscuits?
I'm assuming that this is a language thingy, as I have never seen 'biscuits' on a breakfast menu here in Australia.

In American English, "biscuits" are small round bread cakes made with baking soda rather than yeast as a raising agent. No connection with what we call "biscuits" which are what Americans call "cookies", of course.

Thank you Chris.
Doesn't sound like something I would normally eat for breakfast, BUT, I'm always willing to try most things once, before forming an opinion.
Having said that, if brussel sprouts were on the breakfast menu, I'd eat them.

Chris is right about the definition of biscuits in America.

The gravy is some fried ground pork served in a bechamel sauce.

Grits are served almost in every states except New England and California if my memory is good.
Some are white because they were made with white corn and some are yellow because of the yellow corn.

My wife Nicole loved both version.
I prefered the biscuits and gravy.

[QUOTE]Originally posted by J. Vimira:
No grits in the Midwest.
With the chain restaurants springing up everywhere, that isn't always true. Cracker Barrel has grits with their breakfast almost routinely although in some places you have to say you want them. They are a side item at Bob Evans.
However until a few years ago, grits were not known in the Midwest.
I hate to see the regional differences in the US disappearing, but now days the highway strips (restaurants, box stores etc) look the same all over the country.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: suegreg,

Are/is grits the same as corn meal mush? I'm not too fond of cornmeal generally but liken grits to cream of wheat cereal. My husband's father's family has a Romanian background and they love something called Mamaliga which is cornmeal cooked until it is very firm, then turned out on a board and sliced with a thread which I understand is the proper way, and served with butter and cheese. Very much like polenta, and I'm now curious as to the origin of grits in the Southern states.

Not being a Southerner, I probably shouldn't answer. But to me they are not the same. Grits looks like a thin cream of wheat only with a yellow tinge. My husband makes himself what he calls corn meal mush. He cooks the corn meal like you would oatmeal, puts it in a meat loaf pan, cools it and when ready, slices it and fries the slices and eats it with butter. (Not a calorie anywhere in sight!) I have seen something similar at Bob Evans restaurant, but don't know if what he does is typical. Fortunately this is a once a year experience for him.

This site may answer some questions about grits.

Suegreg-
You have it down pat! As Yvon said, they can be yellowish or white. Cornmeal mush is what I grew up with in the midwest, fixed just as your husband does it, and I love it as much as I learned to love grits when I moved south.

I had forgotten that Cracker Barrel restaurants are all over the US, and they surely would have them.

ColleenAnn, grits are a southern food and we eat them a lot here (especially at breakfast). I am sure they don't serve them a lot up north or out west. If you come to the states and can find them do try them. They are soooo good with butter! We even serve them for dinner with foods like fish. You will see them a lot in restaurants with various dishes, some chefs even add cheese and cream to the cooking process, and that's really good Very fattening!

Gravy is another southern food that is made with drippings (usually either bacon or pork fat back), flour, and milk. You make a rue (sp) and then add the milk. It's similar to a white sauce. It's good but it's an artery clogging food

Chris, your scones remind me of our biscuits but they taste sweeter (like sugar has been added). Biscuits are a southern comfort food as well. We eat them with meals as our bread, have them with jam for breakfast, or use them with gravy for breakfast. I make my biscuits with self rising white flour, buttermilk, and shortening. You are right, there is no yeast. If you use regular flour, you have to add salt and baking powder or baking soda.

Yvon, the ground pork you spoke of is what we call sausage. It's pork ground up with various seasonings, sage, fennel, hot spices. You are right, gravy is a type of bechamal sauce.

Brenda C, as to consistency, grits are larger (grain) than cream of wheat. They do resemble polenta. I buy Quaker Quick Grits. I wonder if Quaker has grits on their website? Yep, I just checked and it's quakergrits.com

Thanks for all the info. folks. Yvon, thanks for that interesting website.
Looks like I may be having some very interesting breakfasts next year !!!

quote:

Originally posted by Colleen Anne2:
Thanks for all the info. folks. Yvon, thanks for that interesting website.
Looks like I may be having some very interesting breakfasts next year !!!

I don't think you will notice much difference from what you are used to. We do not mean to give the impression that grits or anything like it is the mainstay of breakfast. If it is a buffet, it will be just one hot dish you can take or pass. If it is a served breakfast, it will be just a small part of the total package. Do try the grits. Basically they are bland (my opinion) until you put things like butter or gravy (or your eggs like I do) which transforms the serving from a relatively good for you carbohydrate into something with a few more calories.