Posted by Dave Thewlis on July 01, 2003 at 15:27:55 from 148.78.245.12 user dthewlis.
In Reply to: Re: scones in the US, was Re: Seedcake posted by John Lambert on July 01, 2003 at 07:35:02:
Well, speaking from a far west portion of the U.S. (California) scones are quite well-known and generally available in Northern California. To me at least (raised on the East Coast, now resident in California) a scone is rather different than what Americans usually call a biscuit. The dough seems to be fairly similar (not particularly sweet) but scone dough is thicker, they are frequently triangular (by custom), and often baked with currants, raisins (sultanas), etc. Generally meant to be eaten by itself, perhaps with coffee, and usually a breakfast item.
Biscuits as I have encountered them are two different things. One is a hard, flat baked item but not sweet - the sweeter ones are cookies (although I think in Britain they are all biscuits).
The other is commonly a breakfast accompaniment in much of the south and parts of the southwest, a raised, baked bread, not sweet, generally served with gravy (as in "biscuits and gravy") over them, and taking the place of bread or toast with the meal. Biscuits of the raised variety are also baked and served with other meals in place of bread, and by no means confined to the south and southwest.