Talk:Cookie (biscuit)

WIP

I've been working on this, but I have to do housewifey things such as clean the cat litter box, sweep, mop and do dishes. Will try to work on this later, if not anyone can join in the party.Mary Ash 19:53, 12 October 2010 (UTC)

Page name

Surely, should be "Cookie (biscuit)" with biscuit being all in lower case? –Tom Morris 10:25, 22 October 2010 (UTC)

Yes. Aleta Curry 22:07, 22 October 2010 (UTC)

I was in a diplomatic quandary. I did not want to offend our readers outside of the US so decided to capitalize biscuit. Tried to give equality to all LOL!Mary Ash 22:57, 22 October 2010 (UTC)

I believe you. But remember: only capitalise the first word and proper names, and you can't go wrong. Ro Thorpe 23:37, 22 October 2010 (UTC)

In the UK

The article isn't exactly right about the UK and cookies/biscuits.

Americans refer to all biscuits as cookies. So, in that sense, the article is correct. What Americans call cookies we call biscuits. But we also use 'cookies' to refer to a specific type of biscuit: chocolate chip cookies, and things that are very much like chocolate chip cookies but not necessarily with chocolate chips. If you went into a shop in Britain and tried to buy cookies, you'd end up getting chocolate chip cookies (or something with the same recipe as a chocolate chip cookie but with the chocolate replaced with something else, like raisins or even raspberries - they are really yummy).

There is a difference in how Americans and Brits make cookies though. Namely, we suck at it! We make cookies like we make other biscuits: small, hard and crunchy. American-style cookies are squishier, richer and sort of melt in one's mouth. These are absolutely lovely, while our biscuits are really best if you want to go and dunk them in a cup of tea. If you like American-style cookies, you have to go to American chain fast food places like Subway to get them baked right, otherwise they just taste like biscuits. –Tom Morris 10:33, 22 October 2010 (UTC)

Thanks Tom for your input. I did my research and I can only write what I find. Since I've never been to the UK, I can only go by what I find. As this is a wiki, and a worldwide collaborative effort, other folks (perhaps you) can edit and make the article even better. Go forth and write if you feel like it. I bet the article will be even better because of it. Many thanks in advance!Mary Ash 21:59, 22 October 2010 (UTC)

Is this going to be as much fun as chips vs french fries? Huzzah! Actually, Americans have hard and soft (soft baked) cookies.

Americans do have 'biscuits'; American biscuits are more akin to British scones, though not the same by any means.

Oh, this is gonna be fun!

Too busy to start now, but I'll be back...bwah, hah, hah!

Aleta Curry 22:11, 22 October 2010 (UTC)

Cookies equal biscuits in UK

I could very well be wrong but my two Australian friends have patiently explained to me that a biscuit is a cookie in England. While in America a biscuit is more like a scone. Not the same as American biscuits tend use no sugar or very little sugar to make. They also don't normally use eggs either. Scones on the other hand are usually richer as they have more sugar and eggs added. Finally, the definition I found clearly explains the difference.

Straight from the article:

According to the Oxford English Dictionary, the term "biscuit" debuted in the 14th century. Primary definition here: "Biscuit: 1. a. A kind of crisp dry bread more or less hard, prep--Peter Schmitt 18:15, 23 October 2010 (UTC)ared generally in thin flat cakes. The essential ingredients are flour and water, or milk, without leaven; but confectionery and fancy biscuits are very variously composed and flavoured. Even the characteristic of hardness implied in the name is lost in the sense ‘A kind of small, baked cake, usually fermented, made of flour, milk, etc.’ used, according to Webster, in U.S." The OED states "cookie" was introduced to the Engish language during the 18th century via the Dutch: "Cookie: 1. a. In Scotland the usual name for a baker's plain bun; in U.S. usually a small flat sweet cake (a biscuit in U.K.), but locally a name for small cakes of various form with or without sweetening. Also S. Afr. and Canad." [1] The word cookie is probably derived from the Dutch word koekjes that is the diminutive for the word koek or cake. Cookies were first used as “test” cakes by bakers, according to some food historians. [2]Mary Ash 01:21, 23 October 2010 (UTC)

Being neither English nor American I cannot say anything about the exact extension of the meaning of this term. But if there is a difference, this difference should be discussed and described in the article. If the distinction is large enough then both cookie (American) and cookie (British may be useful. On the other hand, this article should be restricted to what is called cookies. Thus, it seems that Baklava does not fit into it, and possibly gingerbread, too. --Peter Schmitt 18:15, 23 October 2010 (UTC)

Historical recipes

Historical types of cookies (and their recipes) should be put into context: When and where? What cook book? Why (out of the many) have these particular cookies been chosen? If they are quotations, then this should also be made clear. (Some recipes may better fit on a Recipes subpage.) --Peter Schmitt 19:12, 23 October 2010 (UTC)

The cookie recipes were submitted before the turkey brouhaha and they were written as something fun to read that provided historical information. The recipes are sourced and you can click on the ref links to view where they came from. The selection of the historic receipts were used as they showed some early cookie recipes that were also public domain.

Comments on the selection of Gingerbread and Chocolate Chip Cookies. There are many types of gingerbread but in its earliest form it was more like a cake or soft cookie. Today, gingerbread can be made as a cut out crisp cookie or a soft cookie such as Lebkuchen. It can also be a CAKE too. Gingerbread like so many other things can be confusing. Chocolate chip cookies are a famous and beloved US cookie recipe. I can not comment on other parts of the world as I have not been anywhere except the US and Canada. Mary Ash 00:33, 27 October 2010 (UTC)