Biscuits and gravy is a classic dish served a number of ways in many parts of the country, mainly in the South. This hearty meal is served for breakfast, lunch and dinner at many popular restaurants, including Bojangles, Popeyes and other fast food chicken and biscuit houses. Although chicken and biscuits is not heart-healthy, it is a tasty, warm and comforting meal.
History
Biscuits and gravy grew out of necessity and availability. In the South, pork sausage was very popular. So, home chefs made use of the dish and all it offered. The grease from cooked sausage was turned into a white gravy, using flour, milk and water, along with other ingredients. Then buttermilk biscuits were cooked and served with the gravy for a filling and tasty meal.
Function
Biscuits and gravy earned a place in the hearts and stomachs of Southern people. The meal was relatively easy to make because sausage was already being prepared and eaten for breakfast. Sometimes the grease could be saved and turned into gravy for the morning meal. Today biscuits and chicken is served at diners, fast food restaurants and even inns.
Types
The most popular type of biscuits and gravy includes the white or country gravy made from sausage grease and flour. Oftentimes it is seasoned with black pepper, and bits of bacon, sausage or other meat are often added. In Indiana, they have egg gravy, which is made by scrambling eggs on a skillet with bacon grease, adding flour and milk and then mixing. Meat and other ingredients are also added.
Geography
Biscuits and gravy is found in the Carolinas and stretching South through Georgia and across Louisiana. The dish is not as popular in Florida, however in states like Tennessee and north into the Midwest, including Indiana and Ohio, it is regularly found. It is most popular in the Bible Belt.
Identification
Biscuits and gravy is easy to spot. A white, thick and soft-textured gravy that is fluffy is poured over two or three biscuits about the size of a hand. These biscuits are made with buttermilk and flour and look like clumps of fried dough. Usually round, they also peak into mounds or are flat. The dish is served piping hot and in a bowl or deep dish.
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