American Readers(and others too)

[Lalwendë]

Scones are actually quite dry and dull in comparison to cake in Britain. You often see women turning down a cake dripping in cream and chocolate in favour of a dry, fat free scone. The only time they match up to cake is when they are served up in a Devon Cream Tea; in this treat the scones are slathered in strawberry jam, clotted cream and possibly butter too. Now I can well imagine Hobbits enjoying those. But yes, you can rest assured that when Hobbits serve up cake then they are serving up something truly delicious.

I determined to find out where my idea of American biscuits comes from and it turns out they are a Southern thing. I found this website which has pictures which would repel the most gluttonous Hobbit.

EDIT: And we do have muffins too. They used to be a type of bread roll, the oven-bottom muffin, a traditional Lancashire thing, but the term now refers to rather large individual cakes stuffed with such things as chocolate chips or, my favourite, blueberries and cream cheese.

[alatar]

Originally Posted by Lalwendë

Scones are actually quite dry and dull in comparison to cake in Britain.

I've actually made scones, and I avoid cooking anything more complicated than mac'n'cheese out of a box. The recipe that I follow includes the use of heavy cream, and so the ones produced from the same are not dry and are rather 'heavy.' A good indication of a food's fat content is inversely related to the amount of the same that my wife will consume.

[Morai]

I determined to find out where my idea of American biscuits comes from and it turns out they are a Southern thing.

I wouldn't say that, I don't live in the South (far from it actually) and I eat a biscuit everytime I eat stew, sometimes with breakfast. Usually I'll slice it down the middle horizontally, then dab on some "veggetable spread" (cause butter or margerine would be 'sinful' where I live) and honey, or just some salsa when I want to "liven things up." I love biscuits.

I never get the "chips" confused with " American potato chips" because well, I eat "fish and chips" at resturants all the time. (For those that are still confused: that's hallibut and resturant size french fries.)

For me it was the "conies and taters" (sorry if it's mispelled.) I never eaten a rabit of any kind, so I had to read that part a couple times over to determine that Sam was in fact cooking a rabbit stew. As for taters, I had to remind my self of "tater-tots", and I can't really describe them, except that they're great with ketchup.

[Rumil]

One unusual cake which Bilbo offered the dwarves, apart from the standard fare of apple tart and mince pies was seed cake.

I haven't encountered seed cake for years though I vaguely remember my gran making it long ago (or perhaps - shock horror - it was 'bought in' ). It was quite a light dry sort of cake in 'large cake format' around half a loaf of bread in size, containing seeds of unknown provenance, perfect for consumption with a nice cuppa. Naturally the dwarves, as us Brits used to in ages past, accompanied it with ale. Methinks an experiment is in order if I can find anywhere that still makes it. Any ideas from 'cheeky Brits'?

(Rumil sudenly feels peckish and heads for the larder........)

[Neithan]

and are possibly closest to cup cakes, but they come in infinite varieties; some have cream in them, some custard, some are in fact made with pastry, but to a man (or rather, to a cake) they are all sweet and exceedingly good.

That description sounds almost like donuts.

I determined to find out where my idea of American biscuits comes from and it turns out they are a Southern thing.

Well "buscuits and gravy" is primarily a southern tradition but it is eaten elsewhere. Personally I just put butter on mine.

For me it was the "conies and taters" (sorry if it's mispelled.) I never eaten a rabit of any kind, so I had to read that part a couple times over to determine that Sam was in fact cooking a rabbit stew. As for taters, I had to remind my self of "tater-tots", and I can't really describe them, except that they're great with ketchup.

Well that kind of thing depends on where in America you are from. The word "taters" was not the least bit foreign to me and rabbit stew is not uncommon among people who hunt rabbits.

[radagastly]

It's all Lembas and Cram! (there may even be a seed cake or two in there, though I didn't find one with a search.)

By the way, biscuits and sausage gravy can be very good for breakfast, though I agree those pictures looked pretty unappetizing, all kind of pale and gloopy.

[Feanor of the Peredhil]

in this treat the scones are slathered in strawberry jam, clotted cream and possibly butter too.

*drools again* These are the scones I was talking about. Or even... my mum and I made scones last summer for a garden party and the best ones had blueberries in them. Slathered with butter while still hot? *dies*

As for biscuits... the best way [COUGH] the only way [/COUGH] to eat a biscuit is sliced horizontally and spread with butter and strawberry jam. Although there are some instances where biscuits are quite good served with a chicken/vegetable/gravy concoction. Very hearty and delicious.

As for taters... I have issues with taters. I always picture Sam cooking up the tater tots that my school's cafeteria likes to serve with cheeseburgers. The best way to describe them is as small (a square inch, or thereabouts) ball of shredded potato with [somehow] a crispy outside. Now don't get me wrong, I love taters... but it's just hard seeing Gollum holding one up to the light saying "What's taters, precious?"

Fea

[Nimrodel_9]

I determined to find out where my idea of American biscuits comes from and it turns out they are a Southern thing.

What? We have biscuits here in Utah. They are like a roll. You eat them with soup, or with jam and butter. You can dip them in gravy too.

By the way, biscuits and sausage gravy can be very good for breakfast, though I agree those pictures looked pretty unappetizing, all kind of pale and gloopy.

That's good stuff!

Gollum with a tator tot. Heh heh.