What would you say if I told you that I have made my OWN Bisquick? I found a recipe on the internet and decided that as we can’t get it in the UK (and our supermarkets don’t seem to have anything approaching its genius) I decided to rustle up my very own stash of Bisquick.
I expect that to my English readers this probably means virtually nothing. But to my American readers it might signify something else. That I am a crazy spinster with too much time on my hands perhaps?! Whatever, it was FUN. If you saw the piece of paper I printed out from the internet then scribbled on you’d think I was some kind of algebra student. The original recipe would have made enough Bisquick to have made about 975 pancakes or 875 “biscuits” (savoury scone type things to us Brits) so I had to do some advance mathematics. I was pleased that something in the back of my brain from school helped me to fathom out what a quarter of 3/4 was (3/4 = 6/8 divided by 4 = a 1/4 and an 1/8?!) by the way, I’d had two vodka martinis by this point so if my maths is faulty please let me know otherwise there is FAR too much baking powder in my recipe.
Anyhow, to cut a VERY long story VERY short. My cheese straws turned out cute and I love them. I was wielding a tape measure a lot when making them as when I was at school I was on the the cusp of England converting from inches to millimeters. Bloody Europe! I do hope that Charley didn’t see me at the window when he came home as I must have looked like a right loony spinster with my specs on, a pussy bow at my neck and a tape measure in hand making sure my pastry was 9 inches by 11 and 1/4 inch thick…
Stop press: everyone at work loved these. “Surprisingly chewy and good” said David, Sanja said she had to move away from them at risk of eating too many and Ilka said they reminded her of lovely German cheesy bread. There is a picture of my luminous cheese straws taken by Raphael here.
Mmm, I like biscuits and gravy. Glad to hear that the cheese straws were a hit (pity you can’t send them as email attachments). I think your sums might be off though, as I make 1/4 of 3/4 = 3/16 (i.e. half of 1/8+1/4) – but of course the (non-mathematical) proof of the pudding is in the eating.
OOh, thanks for the maths correction. You’ve done it now PJ, I’m going to have to send you the recipe in all its grand quantities and get you to divide everything by 4 for me. Tee hee!
Don’t joke -you know I’d do it…
You have thrown down the gauntlet! Here you go…
5 lb. flour
2 1/2 c. dry milk powder
3/4 c. baking powder
3 tbsp. salt
2 tbsp. cream of tartar
1/2 c. sugar
2 lb. or 5 c. Crisco
So not only did I have to convert cups to grams, I had to divide everything by four as I didn’t want to be submerged under a mountain of Bisquick. I await your mathematics with bated breath!
I’m still having trouble understanding what bisquick is. Is it like Nesquik or some kind of speedy biscuit?
By the way, if the answer is “some kind of speedy biscuit” then I still don’t understand.
Yes, “kind of speedy biscuit” is about right. A powdery mixture of flour, dried milk, cream of tartar, shortening and all sorts. The weary housewife of the 1930s could just add milk and voila – biscuit mixture of the American variety (scone type things to us). In order to sell the maximum amount of Bisquick Betty Crocker and her minions came up with about a gazillion other things that could be done with Bisquick, some of which would make your hair curl! I’m quite into the concept now I have made some of my very own rather than buying a packet via the internet (I’ve seen some on ebay).
It cracked me up to see you having a mini-freak out over simple things that us Americans take for granted! I don’t think I’ve ever seen anyone fuss over Bisquick, A1 Sauce, or Graham Crackers!
Scarlett, you wouldn’t believe the HOURS this week that my tiny mind has been dwelling on the Bisquick issue. I still have a great big container of the mixture sitting on my kitchen counter! The recipe said you didn’t have to keep it in the fridge but I’m dubious about that. Anyhow, I’m going to make another batch of Joan’s cheese straws this afternoon so maybe that will make a small dent in the Bisquick mountain x
Do you want a set of cup measures? It just makes it easier when translating American recipes. I am sure I could find some that are very Hollywood for you.
Thanks m’love, I’ve got some cup measures but if you spot any beautiful 1930s numbers I won’t say no! I’ve been measuring everything into American cups then weighing results in grams so that all the recipes in the book will have both measurements. It does do my head in sometimes I have to say, especially as these stars seemed to be cooking for 8 or 10 people most of the time! As I’m usually testing the recipes for 4 at the most, usually just me, all kinds of advanced mathematics go on in the Silver Screen Suppers kitchen (see the Bisquick debate!).