Posted by Guy C. on July 01, 2003 at 16:29:22 from 81.113.177.5 user Astronomer_Guy.
In Reply to: Re: scones in the US, was Re: Seedcake posted by Jim McDowell on July 01, 2003 at 15:33:42:
As an American living in Italy, I note that "biscuit" comes from the Italian "biscotti" which means "twice-baked". So a biscuit technically should have a browned, usually hard, outer shell. The biscotti here in Italy are mostly similar to the American "cookie" which is very different from an English scone.
The closest one gets to a scone in the US (and not very close, at that) outside of specialty shops (like "TeaLuxe" in Harvard Square) is what is called an "English muffin" which is, of course, neither English nor a muffin. Since they are generally baked, and then toasted again before eating, I suppose they could fall under the rubric of "biscuit" in the technical meaning! They are what makes up the outer portions of the infamous Egg McMuffin.
Speaking of such horrors... imagine what S&A would be like in the modern world. Roger would no doubt agitate for fast-food burgers every time they reached civilization. Dick would be too busy playing with his laptop to look at the stars, or learn how to sail. Nancy, listening to rap music on her MP3 player... the mind boggles. No wonder we love them the way they are, instead!