Hot Biscuits...
Roy L. Ballou
Mmmmm-mmmmm! A cook who couldn't make good
biscuits was likely to see a quick exit
from any cowboy encampment. Good biscuits
were at least as important as the coffee.
A cook could become famous, in spite of
being a generally poor cook, if s(he) knew
how to make good sourdough biscuits.
"Hot Biscuits" is the title of a new
collection of "Eighteen (short) stories by
women and men of the ranching west."
Edited by Max Evans and Candy Moulton
and published by Univ of NM Press, 2002
Chris Mark
Question I've beening wondering, maybe someone knows the answer---
When did baking powder biscuits (or baking powder, period) appear? Did Davy
Crockett ever eat baking powder biscuits? How about Kit Carson? Judge Roy
Bean.
I have a vague recollection of reading somewhere that baking powder was one of
the great wonder inventions of the 19th century, like sulpher matches and
percussion caps. True?
Chris Mark
Steve Grimm
1835
Baking Powder For the first time, Victorian cooks can reach for a
pre-packaged baking powder. "Royal Baking Powder" mixes the alkali
bicarbonate of soda with the acid cream of tartar. Inert starch powder was
used to carry the active ingredients and delay release of gas.
In 1859, Eben Norton Horsford (1818-1893), a co-founder of The Rumford
Company, formulated and patented Rumford Baking Powder, the first calcium
phosphate baking powder. Originally dubbed Horsford's Cream of Tartar
Substitute, Rumford Baking Powder quickly became widely accepted since it
achieved more dependable results and was less expensive than using crude
formulas of cream of tartar and baking soda. The calcium acid phosphate in
Rumford Baking Powder was also considered to be healthier than cream of
tartar.
The earliest form of leavening in ancient times was a type of yeast, or
breadmash, devised by the Egyptians. The yeast was mixed with a type of
flour made from ground nuts. Other ingredients and spices were added to make
a raised bread.
This same type of yeast leavening has been used throughout the centuries.
Housewives had to make their own yeast by mixing water, flour, potato, salt
and sugar into a slurry, which stood at mild heat while yeast cells from the
air fell into the mixture and started to generate. A "starter" of this type
of yeast could also be kept on the back of the stove for continual use.
Although the homemade yeast gave food a desirable flavor and tender crust,
this method was slow and had inconsistent results. There was a continuing
search for a better, faster and more consistent leavening method.
In the 1800s it was discovered that bicarbonate of soda would create carbon
dioxide gas in the presence of certain acids. Housewives could make their
own chemical leavening formula (baking powder) from baking soda and sour
milk or buttermilk. The leavening reaction was faster, yet somewhat
undependable. The majority of leavening gas was released when mixed with
ingredients in bowl (bench stage), and very little was released during
baking. There was no undesirable flavor from this mixture, but the finished
product was still not consistent.
In 1835 cream of tartar was mixed with baking soda to produce a
self-contained powdered chemical leavener. This resulted in some of our
first pre-packaged baking powders. Royal Baking Powder was one of the first
baking powders to use cream of tartar and baking soda with a cornstarch base
as an inert vehicle to carry the active ingredients and disperse them in
order to prevent premature release of gas in the package. This baking powder
was an improvement over previous blends; however, cream of tartar was an
expensive ingredient, and the shelf life of this mixture was very short.
Then in the 1850s a crude type of monocalcium phosphate acid was
successfully used with fairly good results. Sixty to 70% of the leavening
action was released in contact with moisture (bench stage) and the rest
during baking. The cost was much less than that of cream of tartar, and the
end product was pleasing to the palate. One difficulty with this early
mixture was the fact that most of the leavening occurred during the bench
period and could be lost with too much handling. Many refinements to the
early monocalcium phosphate have been made over the years, and this acid
phosphate remains one of the staples in baking powder today.
In 1885 sodium aluminum sulphate was discovered. This acid ingredient caused
the release of carbon dioxide only when heat was applied. This in itself was
not desirable for consistent leavening, but when combined with other acid
phosphates it made possible a consistent leavening action (1) during the
mixing (bench) stage and (2) when heat is applied.
Continual refinements and laboratory testing throughout the years have made
possible the dependable, quality leavening products we use today.
"Chris Mark" <xmar...@aol.compost> wrote in message
news:20030211105111...@mb-cg.aol.com...
Roy L. Ballou
>
>Something from various web pages:
Thanks for more than I ever wanted to know
on the subject. But we all know that, even
today, there are some bakers who can make
light biscuits and others who make them to
be used as hocky pucks!
Chris Mark
>Something from various web pages:
>
Great information! Thanks!
Chris Mark
Chris Mark
>1835
> Baking Powder For the first time, Victorian cooks can reach for a
>pre-packaged baking powder. "Royal Baking Powder" mix
So that would mean, I'm guessing that the early pioneers and cattlemen did not
eat baking powder biscuits, at least on a routine basis until maybe after the
civil war, maybe not until the late 1800s. Sort of changes my image of a chuck
wagon meal.
I do have a vague memory of my grandmother having a "starter," actually a
couple, I think. One was for buckwheat cakes and one must have been for the
yeast bread. And i do remember an aunt who had the reputation of making the
best bread around---maybe her starter was better quality?
This gets more interesting as I think about it....I always think of pancakes as
standard bunkhouse fare, but I guess they wouldn't have been, at least as we
know them.
Chris Mark
toadmonkey
>
>So that would mean, I'm guessing that the early pioneers and cattlemen did not
>eat baking powder biscuits, at least on a routine basis until maybe after the
>civil war, maybe not until the late 1800s. Sort of changes my image of a chuck
>wagon meal.
>I do have a vague memory of my grandmother having a "starter," actually a
>couple, I think. One was for buckwheat cakes and one must have been for the
>yeast bread. And i do remember an aunt who had the reputation of making the
>best bread around---maybe her starter was better quality?
>This gets more interesting as I think about it....I always think of pancakes as
>standard bunkhouse fare, but I guess they wouldn't have been, at least as we
>know them.
>
>Chris Mark
TM
Sourdough Starter
1qt lukewarm water
1 pkg dry yeast
2 tsp sugar
4 cups flour
--Put water in 1/2 gal jar, add yeast and sugar to soften, stir in flour. Cover
with a clean cloth.
--Let rise until mixture is light and slightly aged, about 2 days.
--Mixture will thin as it stands; add flour as needed.
--Use 1 cup of starter to make a loaf of bread.
--As you use starter, replace with equal amounts of flour and water.
*****
Honey Wheat Bread
3 cups bread flour
1 cup whole wheat flour
3/8 cup wheat gluten
1 teaspoon salt
3 Tablespoons honey or maple syrup
5 teaspoons yeast
14 ounces warm water
--Put yeast in about 1 cup warm water and allow to stand until it foams, then
add enough warm water to make 14 oz.
--Stir until yeast is dissolved. Use Cuisinart with dough blade. Add first
five ingredients to bowl. Then with Cuisinart motor running, slowly add water
and yeast mixture to bowl. Run until mixture forms a ball in the bowl, then run
another 45 seconds to knead dough.
--Put dough ball into an oiled bowl (olive oil or canola works fine). Cover with
plastic wrap and allow to rise until doubled in size. Punch down, and put in
large, greased and floured loaf pan. Cover with plastic wrap and allow to rise
until doubled in size. Bake at 350 F. for 40 to 45 min.
--
Please remove all bits of spam from addy before replying....
Toadmonkey: "Now now. Brain popping and world crashing may be hazardous to ones perception of reality.
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Roy L. Ballou
says...
>Sort of changes my image of a chuck
>>wagon meal.
I think the correct term is "flapjacks" and
not pancakes.
As an aside - there is not anything that would
get me to eat in a McDonald's - normally. But
where I live you can get biscuits and sausage
gravy! I don't know of any other McDonald's
that carries the item other than here. A double
order consists of two fat and fleecy biscuits
smothered in white gravy that contains sausage
bits. Add three packets of hot salsa, plenty of
black pepper, and it's a great breakfast for
me - with a cuppa Jo of course.
laro
"Roy L. Ballou" <bal...@noemailever.com> wrote in message
news:3e48...@news.zianet.com...
>
> Mmmmm-mmmmm! A cook who couldn't make good
> biscuits was likely to see a quick exit
> from any cowboy encampment. Good biscuits
> were at least as important as the coffee.
> A cook could become famous, in spite of
> being a generally poor cook, if s(he) knew
> how to make good sourdough biscuits.
Come on, Roy, where did they plug in their convection ovens way
out there on the trail?
laro
> Mmmmm-mmmmm! A cook who couldn't make good
> biscuits was likely to see a quick exit
> from any cowboy encampment. Good biscuits
> were at least as important as the coffee.
> A cook could become famous, in spite of
> being a generally poor cook, if s(he) knew
> how to make good sourdough biscuits.
And if he forgot his Cuisinart with dough blades, well, he was not
going to be invited back to the next drive, that's for sure.
Yep, those old fellers had to even know how to judge a fire and how
long to leave the pan buried under a heap of hot coals. It wasn't nearly
as easy as it sounds, I'm sure.
Roy L. Ballou
>Come on, Roy, where did they plug in their convection ovens way
>out there on the trail?
Not much at cowboying, are you!
And here I thought you were something of
a camper at least. Or are you one of those
who can't go camping without the generator
and TV along? Ever heard of a "dutch oven?"
Chris Mark
> give these a try. Hope that helps,
Will definitey try them out.
>1 pkg dry yeast
This is the part I wondered about in the days of yore---where did they get the
yeast?
Mr. Grimm's thorough recap of the history of baking powder mentioned just
letting airborne yeast colonize dough to make a starter. I wondered about that
and got in touch with my sister because I know she inherited the family
womenfolks' cooking lore. The below, she assures me, is what was whipped up
for grub at least since 1912 when my parents acquired their ranch (lost it
during the droughts of the 1930s). The amounts she has optimized for a
family-sized meal and regularized them from such measures as a pinch, a dab, a
skift, a big handful and so forth (she calls these "Come Back for More
Biscuits"):
Biscuit Starter
Take equal amounts of water and flour and make a batter than can be beaten.
Put in a crock or wooden keg (never metal) and place in warm spot for several
days, uncovered. Do not let get cold.
In about four or five days batter should be lively enough to start using.
Biscuits
half cup starter
2.5 cups flour
3/4 tsp salt
3/4 tsp soda (if no soda, add 1/4 cup more starter and a little bit more flour)
1 cup milk (water if no milk; if no milk you can throw an egg in to add bite,
if you have an egg)
1 tbsp sugar (if no sugar, any sweetener will do--molasses, honey)
bacon grease or other grease
Mix the starter, milk and one cup of the flour in a large bowl the night
before. Cover and keep in warm place.
Next morning turn soft dough out onto bread board with one cup of flour.
Combine salt, sugar and soda into remaining half cup flour and sift over top of
dough.
With hands mix dry ingredients into soft dough, kneading lightly.
Roll out to one inch thickness. Cut out biscuits with cutter or knife, dip in
warm grease and place close together in pan.
Set in warm place to rise about a half hour.
Bake in a moderately hot oven for about half an hour.
---
Breakfast would be biscuits, eggs, bacon or other meat, pinto beans and fried
potatoes, washed down with coffee.
Lunch to be eaten by hands who couldn't come back from the field would be
biscuits, bacon or other meat and an apple or raw potato, washed down with a
jug of spring water.
Supper would be beef or chicken or game, biscuits, beans, potatoes (baked,
fried, mashed), turnips or beets and any fresh vegetables in season from the
garden. Dessert of cobbler or pie. If no fruit, bear claws or cinammon rolls.
Jam made from various berries picked wild was always on the table, as was home
made butter and a pitcher of raw milk.
They never had cheese and the women, being strict "drys" allowed no alcoholic
beverages. The women did not smoke but grudgingly allowed the men to smoke or
chew--but only outside on the porch or the bunkhouse.
Chris Mark
laro
I haven't done much camping in a long time, last time in the
southern Mojave some 15 years back. I didn't have either
generator or TV, but I do like SOME conveniences.
However, your reply indicates that you must have missed this in my note:
"Yep, those old fellers had to even know how to judge a fire and how
long to leave the pan buried under a heap of hot coals."
and that would be your Dutch Oven, I suppose. Been there, got the
tee-shirt, but I still think that is more difficult than it sounds.
You GOTS to judge your fire heat and judge how long to bake.
Usually done on a closed track by professional drivers, I'd guess.
I know I'd hate to hear a bunch of cowboys bitching about 'them
damned black biscuits' ...even if I did have the final word on when
and what their next meal would be and whether I used clean or dirty
socks to strain their coffee.
Gimme another cup of Arbuckle's and set a spell.
Pat O'Connell
I've done Dutch oven cookery when camping: "Christmas Chili" (chile
con carne with some green chile added) for dinner, and for breakfast,
canned corned beef hash with eggs (heat the hash till it bubbles, form
pockets in the hash, crack an egg into each pocket, and cover it back
up for a few more minutes). Everything was a success--first time.
Dunno if the next trip will be as successful.
--
Pat O'Connell
Take nothing but pictures, Leave nothing but footprints,
Kill nothing but vandals...
Roy L. Ballou
>> However, your reply indicates that you must have missed this in my note:
For some reason your reply didn't register with
my server's usenet machine. I see Pat's reply to
David's, but I don't see David's in my download.
In any case, I was pulling your chain again David.
I'm no cowboy either, and have never been around
a chuckwagon when it was doing business. Just not
my interest in spite of the fact that we have an
annual Cowboy Symposium here that has gained quite
a reputation for displaying the kind of cooking
chuckwagon cook's could chuck, along with all the
other "authenticism" of the event, including a
real honest-to-gosh trail drive of longhorn steers
loaned for the event by the Jim Bowen spread on
the Tex/NM state line south of here.
My neighbor makes up for my lack of interest
in cowboying. He dresses daily as if he's going
to be an extra in a western movie. And he's really
into the "Rendevous" business where all the
participants are supposed to be as 'authentic'
as possible. He is a scrimshaw artist of some
merit, as well as a sculptor - just another of
our local artist types who is a work of art himself.
>I've done Dutch oven cookery when camping:
I used to enjoy hunting. Deer, etc. No longer. But
one of the great memories is the dutch oven
meals we would make while out hunting. The dutch
oven, set over hot coals all day long, is like
cooking in one of those automatic electric kettles.
Seems you can't make a mistake with them. And
the biscuit dough was always the last thing added
on top of the stew where it would bake to mouth
watering goodness by supper time. No meal I've
eaten before or since could top those dutch
oven ones.
Carmine Rhedd
>(heat the hash till it bubbles, form
>pockets in the hash, crack an egg into each pocket, and cover it back
>up for a few more minutes).
The Spanish Basques make a traditional meal in a ceramic
crock. I don't know if they use larger crocks
sometimes or not but in the restaurants each
person gets their own personal one, sized just
right, as Goldilocks would say. Anyhow, what
makes this such a great meal in itself is that
a raw egg, or two, goes on the bottom, followed
by the stew ingredients, and topped with corn
meal batter. The crock is then oven baked until
steaming and served to you right from the oven.
The corn meal on top is browned just right, and
the eggs on the bottom are what we call 'sunny
side up' cooked.
I would vote that my second 'best ever' meal
after dutch oven cooked venison stew!
Sarge
sure,,, but did they have strawberry jam ?
laro
"Roy L. Ballou" <re...@noemailever.com> wrote in message
news:3e4d...@news.zianet.com...
>
> meals we would make while out hunting. The dutch
> oven, set over hot coals all day long, is like
> cooking in one of those automatic electric kettles.
> Seems you can't make a mistake with them. And
> the biscuit dough was always the last thing added
> on top of the stew where it would bake to mouth
> watering goodness by supper time. No meal I've
> eaten before or since could top those dutch
> oven ones.
I recognized the chain pulling, I just wonder why my
replies are not being registered? OH well, probably someone
decided I talk too much. (Nawwww, really?)
And as to your comments here, I am a bit surprised. I
figured that would be an acquired skill, one that had to
be developed. I realize that just about ANYthing would be
delicious after a hard day in the saddle (or such), but would
not have guessed it was as easy as falling off a log.
By the way, every Dutch Oven I've seen used was set IN and
Under the coals, not just over the coals. you know, dig a hole, etc.
Pat O'Connell
Mine has legs on the bottom to let it sit over coals, and a rim on the
lid to hold more coals on top. My parents used it with charcoal. When
I cooked with it, I shoveled coals out of our campfire and set the
oven over the coals, then shoveled more on the lid. No hole was dug.
)
>I just wonder why my
>replies are not being registered?
I'm inclined to believe it's a problem with my
server and the way they obtain and post usenet
stuff. There was a period of over a month when
I would post and see my post because it was on
the zianet server, but it wasn't going out onto
usenet. I was first told by the techies that it
was 'all my fault/problem' and I spent literally
hours trying to reconfigure my news reader only
to finally get help from out on the web from
someone who said it was NOT my problem but rather
my server's. It took many attempts at gaining
attention before someone at zianet finally
got off their ass and did something about it.
One nice thing is there is a fall-back where
you can check if you're stuff is getting out
there or not... <groups.google.com> ...and I
checked your post that was missing from my
server and it IS registered on google.
>And as to your comments here, I am a bit surprised. I
>figured that would be an acquired skill
Probably is since I may have implied otherwise
but in fact I am NOT the cook and couldn't
boil water normally. I was just fortunate to
have been with those who do know how to cook
'in the rough.' I may have mentioned before
that I am a long-time bicycler. Haven't done
any vacation trips on a bike in several years
now but two of my greatest experiences were
on week-long trips where I was with a group
and there was a sag wagon and the drivers in
both instances were gourmet cooks. These
trips were biking/camping trips - not motel
overnight trips. Three meals a day were provided
by the gourmands. One was a vegan but none of
us minded since the meals provided were so
specially done.
>By the way, every Dutch Oven I've seen used was set IN and
>Under the coals, not just over the coals. you know, dig a hole, etc.
Well, they make iron spits for hanging dutch
ovens from that allow adjusting the height.
And the spit helps keep it from upsetting
since coals aren't noted for staying stable
as they continue to turn to ash. I've never
been with a cook who buried the kettle. It
was always set on top of the coals or fire.
And the coffee pots I'm familiar with had
a bail that allowed hanging them from a spit too.