418: biscuit Jan 30, 2016

The word 'biscuit' comes from 'bis' which is a Latin prefix meaning 'two', and 'cuit,' was first 'coctus,' which means 'cook', together meaning something, in this case, bread, cooked twice, and included many other breads that what we think of as a biscuit. When sugar became more available, there arose more differentiation, cakes, especially. The Dutch word 'koekjes' meant, 'small cake', and this term spread where there where there were Dutch populations. 'Biscuit' remained popular in English, but 'cookie' became the general term for breads, and 'biscuit' only meant the tart-like treat. Those in Scotland continue to use ‘biscuit' as a general term for soft breads.