What Were American Biscuits Like Before Baking Powder Or Baking Soda - Glen And Friends Old Cookbook Show
Today we look at the early culinary history of the iconic American Biscuit and compare a few community cookbook recipes.
Now for the Dogmatic hairsplitters... Yes, before Baking Soda and Baking Powder were commercially made and brought to market in the 1840s / 1850s, there were chemical leavening agents available. However they were difficult to make, mostly had to be made at home by the cook, and could go terribly wrong if the ratios were incorrect.
It is extremely rare to see any chemical leavening agents to be called for in any of the cookbooks in my collection published before the 1840s. Home Cooks just didn't use them.
As for Swan's Down Flour being the only flour to use - it didn't come to market until 1894 and had very limited distribution until 1904.

Kentucky Biscuit Recipe
One quart of flour, half a cup of butter, a pinch of salt: make a stiff dough with milk: knead it a little, then beat hard with a rolling pin, fifteen or twenty minutes. Roll out and cut into small round biscuits. Prick with a fork and bake in a hot oven.


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