Author Topic: PROPS : Biscuits  (Read 5129 times)

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Lizzie

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PROPS : Biscuits
« on: Apr 19, 2012, 10:03 am »
I'm ASMing on a production of 'Vieux Carré' by Tennessee Williams, in the UK, and came across a slightly odd props query. The script refers to a character bringing in a coffee tray and talking about 'hot coffee and cold biscuits'. Now I know that in the US, biscuits are more like what we in the UK would refer to as scones, and what we call biscuits, you would call cookies. (There's a useful pic at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Biscuit ).

Having done some research, I can't figure out if the same terminology was used when the play was set (1938/39). Does anyone here know, or have you worked on the play ?

Many thanks
Lizzie

loebtmc

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Re: PROPS : Biscuits
« Reply #1 on: Apr 19, 2012, 10:54 am »
My understanding is more along the line of cookies - and in particular, you can easily get something along the lines of Digestives or other MacVities biscuits to put out if they need to eat them (delish!). Cheap local Arrowroot baby cookies are a good stand-in if you don't have access to British products.

EFMcMullen

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Re: PROPS : Biscuits
« Reply #2 on: Apr 19, 2012, 11:23 am »
Funny, I would assume (and we know what they say, but being a southerner...) the fact that he is a good ole southern boy, he is referring to the southern american cold leftover biscuit (scone).  However, I do not know the play, nor what the set up is.  Feel free to PM me if you want a recipe, southern biscuit are not a crumbly as scones (at least American scones) but super simple to make.

loebtmc

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Re: PROPS : Biscuits
« Reply #3 on: Apr 19, 2012, 11:46 am »
oops yes you are right - in the UK a biscuit wd be a cookie, but here in the US it is, indeed, a proper biscuit - scones are close, if that's easy to access.

BayAreaSM

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Re: PROPS : Biscuits
« Reply #4 on: Apr 19, 2012, 11:00 pm »
Since this is set in the south, and with the descriptor "cold", it definitely leads me to believe they are referring to cold American biscuits, which are in the upper right photo on your Wikipedia link.

Biscuits became popular in the south during plantation times and were a sign of wealth, as southerners were making biscuits before Baking Powder was invented (the Royal Baking Powder company was formed in 1866), and it took quite a bit of labor (and time) to beat enough air into the dough.

Lizzie

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Re: PROPS : Biscuits
« Reply #5 on: Apr 23, 2012, 09:50 am »
Many thanks for the replies and suggestions.

As there are only 4 performances, I think we'll be going with bought scones from the local supermarket 'budget' range, which probably works out cheaper than baking them.

I would be interested to see a recipe, though, EFMcMullen, to see how it differs from a UK scone recipe.

Lizzie

ScooterSM

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Re: PROPS : Biscuits
« Reply #6 on: Apr 23, 2012, 12:09 pm »
http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/alton-brown/southern-biscuits-recipe/index.html

This is a recipe that is pretty typical of Southern American biscuits... :-)
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EFMcMullen

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Re: PROPS : Biscuits
« Reply #7 on: Apr 23, 2012, 09:07 pm »
That's close to mine, though I only use flour, baking powder, salt, butter and milk.