Biscuits

During the medieval period in France, monks, soldiers, and sailors often ate bread that was twice-cooked (bis-cuit) to make it last longer. By the eighteenth century, the English had not only adopted this kind of biscuit but also made a number of more refined versions, using sugar, eggs, and various flavorings. American biscuits included these as well as a lighter, flakier bread that was typically small and quickly made. The Marquis de Chastellux wrote in 1782 that “in America, little cakes, which are easily kneaded and baked in half an hour, are often substituted for bread.” These “little cakes” were probably soft biscuits. Colonial hard biscuits included the army biscuit, ship biscuit, middling biscuit, Savoy biscuit, milk biscuit, and white biscuit. “Bisket bakers” were sometimes obliged to stamp their names on these.