We love to start the new year with homemade biscuits—a different type each year. This year, it’s ham and Gruyère, with fresh chives.
 
 
THE HISTORY OF BISCUITS

The word biscuit dates to ancient Latin: bis cotus, meaning twice baked. These words form the origin of biscotti: initially a hard food with a long shelf life that could be taken on the road, in an era where roadside food was minimal at best. They were (and are) first baked, then dried out in a slow oven.

It’s important to note that, like those hard Roman biscotti, the term biscuit in Europe still refers to what is called a cookie or cracker in the U.S.

Scones, an early quick bread, are first mentioned in the early 16th century. (What’s a quickbread? See the footnote* below.) Spice buns appeared during the Tudor period (1485 to 1603).

But it wasn’t until the 18th century that chemical leavenings (raising agents) enabled the moist, fluffy biscuits we know today.

The leavening creates gas bubbles that lighten and soften the dough. Pearl ash (potash) was an early example; others included beer and kefir (both of which have live yeast), sour milk, vinegar, lemon juice, and or cream of tartar.

Steam and air were used to raise popovers and Yorkshire pudding.

Baking soda was used by the turn of the 19th century; baking powder was introduced in 1843 (the difference between baking powder and baking soda). And with them came light, fluffy breads and cakes galore.
 
 
BISCUITS VS. ROLLS: THE DIFFERENCE

Biscuits and rolls are both made from flour, fat† (butter, shortening, olive oil), liquid (buttermilk, cream, milk, water), and salt.

What’s the difference?

Biscuits are raised with chemical leavening (baking powder); rolls are raised with yeast.
> Check out these biscuit holidays.
 
 
RECIPE: HAM & SMOKED GOUDA BISCUITS WITH MAPLE BUTTER

This recipe is from National Pork Board, “Pork: Be Inspired.” They can be served at any meal of the day, but we prefer their complex flavors with the simpler foods of breakfast, or with a light lunch of soup and salad.

The recipe was originally made with smoked Gouda, but we prefer Gruyère. You can substitute any semihard cheese.

You can also substitute other types of bacon for the standard American bacon strips; and substitute chives for the thyme.

Don’t hesitate to make any recipe your own, by substituting favorite ingredients or experimenting with new ones.

Prep time is 20 minutes; bake time is 20 minutes.

> There are more biscuit recipes below.

Ingredients For 12 Biscuits

 
For The Maple Butter

[2] Maple butter is one of many compound butters you can easily make (photo © Food Blogger Connect).

[3] Chipotle Cheddar Biscuits. Here’s the recipe from McCormick (photo © McCormick).

[4] Classic, flaky buttermilk biscuits. Here’s the recipe from Kindred Restaurant (photo © Kindred Restaurant | Davidson, N.C. ).

1. PREHEAT the oven to 450°F. Butter a large baking sheet, or coat it with nonstick spray.

2. WHISK together in a large bowl the flour, baking powder, sugar salt, and baking soda. Use a pastry cutter or fingertips to add the butter, working the mixture until it resembles a coarse meal.

3. STIR in the ham, cheese, and chives. Add the yogurt, stirring until just combined. Drop the dough onto the prepared baking sheet in 12 equal mounds, about 1 inch apart. Bake until golden brown, 18 to 20 minutes. While the biscuits bake…

4. MAKE the maple butter. In a medium bowl, combine the butter and maple syrup. Add salt to taste and transfer to a serving bowl.

5. SERVE the biscuits warm with the maple butter on the side.
 
 
MORE BISCUIT RECIPES

 
________________

*A quick bread is any bread leavened with a chemical leavening agent rather than a biological one (such as yeast or sourdough starter). They are able to be prepared quickly compared to the time-consuming skilled labor and the climate control needed for traditional yeast breads. In addition to savory breads such as beer bread, biscuits, cornbread, muffins, pancakes, scones, and soda bread, quick breads include sweet items. These include many cakes, brownies, and cookies as well as banana bread, carrot bread, pumpkin bread, and zucchini bread. Here’s more about quickbread.

†Some types of rolls do not contain fat.
 
 

CHECK OUT WHAT’S HAPPENING ON OUR HOME PAGE, THENIBBLE.COM.

[1] Holiday baked Brie with liqueur-accented cranberry compote, walnuts and thyme (here’s the recipe from Liren Baker of Kitchen Confidante). [2] Baked Brie with olives, recipe below (photo courtesy DeLallo). [3] Whatever bubbly you serve, Baked Brie is a delicious companion (photo of sparkling rosé from Santa Margherita). [4] Pitted, chopped olives make an already easy recipe a breeze (photo courtesy DeLallo). [5] For a red accent, use pimiento strips (photo courtesy Conservas Martinez)… [6] or or chopped peppadews (photo Biozinc | Wikipedia).

And then there’s cheese.

Double- and triple-creme cheeses are sumptuous with sparkling wines:

 
Served with slices of fresh baguette or specialty crackers, these are the cheeses to usher in the new year.
 
WANT MORE PANACHE?

Baked Brie with holiday panache is impressive, yet so easy to make. You can top it with something sweet or savory; for example:

 
MORE SWEET TOPPINGS

 
FOR “DESSERT BRIE”

 
Next up: savory toppings for Baked Brie.

RECIPE: BAKED BRIE WITH OLIVES

DeLallo created this recipe using their Olives Jubilee, a colorful medley of Kalamata, Niçoise-style, Picholine and plump green olives in an herb marinade. Pitted, chopped, marinated: All you need to do is drain and spoon the olives over the cheese.

Instead of adding tart, uncooked cranberries—which look great but aren’t so palatable—we chopped a small jar fire-roasted red pepper strips (pimiento, piquillo, etc.).

You can also chop peppadews or grape/cherry tomatoes.

For more color and flavor, we also tossed in some pink and green peppercorns we had at hand—mild, not spicy like black peppercorns—and some shredded basil.

This recipe is for a small “baby” Brie; but if you’re having a large crowd, you can buy an entire 17-inch wheel (and adjust the amount of toppings accordingly).
 
Ingredients

 
Preparation

1. PREHEAT the oven to 350°F. Place the Brie on a nonstick baking sheet. Bake until softened, about 15 minutes. Remove from heat, onto a serving plate.

2. TOP with olives, nuts and cranberries/peppers. Drizzle with honey and serve with bread/crackers and cheese spreaders.

 
MORE SAVORY BRIE TOPPINGS

 
We deliberately left out jalapeño and other “heat” because Brie has a subtle flavor; but you can add a dash of cayenne or red pepper flakes if you like.
 
________________
*Raw bell peppers, carrots, celery, fennel, onions, etc.

Today’s tip: Check out more lucky foods from around the world, and enjoy some on New Year’s Eve or New Year’s Day.

Some are ancient traditions, others relatively new. Pick, choose and adapt your own lucky food traditions for the new year.

COOKED GREENS

In parts of Europe, cabbage, collards, kale and chard are consumed for luck because their green leaves look like folded money (who doesn’t want good fortune in the new year?). In Denmark, stewed kale is eaten, sprinkled with sugar and cinnamon (hmmm….). In Germany, sauerkraut is the veg of choice. In the southern U.S., it’s collards.
 
Suggestion: Pick your green, and make it a tradition; or feature a different one each year. You can start with a crisp spinach salad with a warm bacon vinaigrette.

FISH

Cod has been a traditional feast food since the Middle Ages; and the Catholic Church’s policy against red meat consumption on religious holidays helped make all fish commonplace at feasts. For the new year, boiled cod is popular in Denmark. In Italy, baccalà, dried salt cod, is a traditional food. Herring is consumed at midnight in Poland; in Germany, it’s likely to be carp.

In Sweden, the smorgasbord provides a variety of fish dishes. In Japan, herring roe is consumed for fertility, shrimp for long life, and dried sardines for a good harvest (sardines were once used to fertilize rice fields).

Suggestion: With so many delicious fish and seafood dishes, you can present a new one each year. That includes sushi or sashimi and caviar (we purchased salmon roe and wasabi tobiko).

GRAPES

In Spain, each celebrant consumes 12 grapes at midnight—one grape for each stroke of the clock. Each grape represents a different month; the goal is to swallow all the grapes before the last stroke of midnight. It’s not an ancient practice, but dates to 1909, when grape growers had a surplus of inventory. They promoted the idea, and it became a tradition, spreading to Portugal and some parts of Latin America.
 
Suggestion: Consider ramekins of mixed grapes, frosted (sugared) grapes. Or perhaps start your own tradition with grape granita or a frozen Grape Margarita.

LEGUMES

Popular from Europe to Asia, legumes—beans, peas and lentils—are symbolic of money. An Italian double-lucky new year’s tradition, sausages and green lentils (cotechino con lenticchie), features a second lucky food, pork. Germans have lentil or split pea soup with sausage. In Brazil, the traditional first meal of the new year includes lentil soup or lentils and rice. In Japan, sweet black beans (kuro-mame) are consumed during the first three days of the new year.

Suggestion: Along with yesterday’s black-eyed pea recipes—all of these are delicious choices, but we’re going for red bean ice cream instead of the kuro-name. You can also add beans to a spinach salad.

PORK

Pigs came to symbolize progress: They push forward, rooting themselves in the ground before moving. With its rich fat content, pork also signifies wealth and prosperity. That’s why roast suckling pig is popular new year’s fare in Austria, Cuba, Hungary, Portugal and Spain. Austrians even decorate the table with marzipan pigs. Swedes choose pig’s feet, Germans feast on roast pork and sausages. We wouldn’t turn down a pork roast, porchetta or a baked ham.
 
Suggestion: For an easier path, add bacon or pork belly to the spinach salad.
 
FOR DESSERT

Cakes and cookies. Cakes and other baked goods are served around the world, with a special emphasis on round or ring-shaped items. In Italy, that means chiacchiere, honey-drenched balls of dough fried and dusted with powdered sugar. In Hungary, the Netherlands and Poland, donuts are customary (Holland also has ollie bollen, puffy, donut-like pastries filled with apples, raisin and currants. Some cultures hide a special trinket, coin or whole nut inside the cake; the person who gets it will be lucky in the new year.

Suggestion: Avoid broken teeth and choking hazards. Serve cookies or an easy bundt cake. What could be more appropriate than egg nog bundts?
 
WHAT NOT TO EAT

Lucky foods for the new year: [1] Start with a spinach salad, with bacon for extra luck (photo courtesy Evolution Fresh). [2] For the soup course, lentil or bean soup with ham or pork sausage and mustard greens (photo courtesy Good Eggs). [3] For the main course, porchetta, or a simple roast pork loin (photo courtesy Il Buco | NYC). [4] Something round for dessert: mini egg nog bundt cakes. Here’s the recipe from Eat Wisconsin Cheese. [5] Marzipan pigs for everyone (photo Premier Food & Beverage).