“Would you like a cornbread or biscuit with that?” A moment of pure panic rushes through you as the server asks that question. Did I get something spicy and creamy? If so, cornbread is the ultimate go-to. Ah, but what about gravy and fried chicken – a total biscuit meal? As you frantically try to decide, you immediately blurt out “biscuit, please” and hope the server walks away from the table before you change your mind.
If you were born + raised in the South, then you know all about the biscuit vs. cornbread dilemma. Whether you’re a die-hard biscuit fan or cornbread fiend, have you ever wondered how both of these staple sides came to be? Or, if you’re new to this side of the Mississippi, you might not know why they differ so.
We break down how biscuits became paired with gravy and cornbread became sweet here.⬇️ Bonus: Tell us whether or not your family serves biscuits or cornbread, and share your Thanksgiving dinner traditions. 🦃
Photo by @momontimeout
First off, the word “biscuit” came from the Latin word “bis coctus” meaning’ “twice baked.” Hence why European biscuits are thin and hard. The OG biscuit wasn’t so much a treat to pair with Tupelo honey as it was a ration for survival, and was sometimes referred to as “hardtack,”
“sea biscuit” or “pilot bread.”
The Southern biscuit – a.k.a. the light, fluffy + buttery treat we know today, began taking shape in the 1800s, but were still tough and usually eaten in wealthier homes. Most Southerners ate cornbread instead since flour was harder to get during this time. Beaten biscuits had butter or lard added to them making them more flavorful and lighter than basic hardtack. But, it wasn’t until the 19th century when flour mills became more accessible.
Once flour was cheap and easy to get, the development of leavening agents, or baking soda, changed the biscuit-making game forever. Baking soda allows biscuits to rise without the need for yeast or eggs.
And you may notice, not all biscuits are the same. Across the pond biscuits are still thin and hard like a cookie, today’s version of beaten biscuits are more flaky + crispier, and the Southern biscuit is soft + crumbly on the inside with a little crisp on the outside. Biscuit pairings can range from a smidge of jam, drizzle of honey, slice of fried chicken, or even open-face and drowning in gravy.
Photo by @yogaofcooking
So on the chances you are team cornbread, you probably won’t be surprised to hear that this Southern specialty has a simple history and dates back to the roots of Native Americans. Corn was like gold in the South, and Native Americans used it for everything from food and soap to utensils. The OG skillet of cornbread wasn’t sweet and crumbly, it was literally ground cornmeal and water that was baked over an open fire.
What changed the game of cornbread forever was adding ingredients such as buttermilk, eggs, baking soda + baking powder. Some recipes now call for a bit of sugar to make it sweet, or jalapeños and cheese to make it spicy + savory.
For those of you who don’t understand why it’s so crucial to know when to choose a biscuit over cornbread – we’ll break it down for you. Biscuits are a Southerners comfort food that can be paired in a variety of ways as either sweet or savory. You can eat a biscuit at breakfast with a drizzle of honey or smidge of jam, open-face with gravy, or broken in pieces and dipped in a stew. Biscuits are usually best-paired with more “soupy” foods since they soak up the flavors, a.k.a. the perfect excuse to call biscuits + gravy a meal. Also, biscuits can be sliced open like a sandwich and filled with anything from fried chicken, eggs, fried green tomatoes, sausage + more.
Cornbread on the other hand can’t hold up to the same sandwich standard as biscuits. Too many crumbs. For a simple treat try baking cornbread in a muffin tin and serving it with honey, butter or jam. When it comes to pairing it with a meal, focus on flavor. Cornbread is spicy food’s bff. Hello, cornbread and chili. Pairing cornbread with more savory and hearty foods adds the perfect balance with something sweet + simple. Try baked beans, spicy collard greens, chicken pot pie, or even adding cheese + jalapenos to the mix.
And now that you know your biscuit + cornbread 411, hopefully that moment of indecisive panic won’t hit when the server asks you to pick. 😏
When it comes to holiday meals like Thanksgiving, my family serves up both biscuits and Sister Schubert dinner rolls. You know, those soft “make all dinners warm” rolls.
What is your family’s Thanksgiving tradition? Whether it’s a special sauce, cat head biscuits, or a family-favorite dessert – reply to this email or comment on the article below to let us know.
What will be on the table later this month? We’ll run the results later this week to see how biscuits and cornbread match up here in Asheville. Let us know here. ⬇️
Bonus: Stay tuned for Thanksgiving week as we share some of your wonderful traditions on our website.🦃
Happy Monday, Asheville. We love you no matter what your favorite dinner bread is.
