Thomas Jefferson's Sweet Potato Biscuits

donna

Brev. Brig. Gen'l
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May 12, 2010
Location
Now Florida but always a Kentuckian
These biscuits are from "The City Tavern Cookbook." Thomas Jefferson liked to garden and one of his vegetables was sweet potatoes. His biscuits were served at the first meeting of the First Continental Congress in 1774 and are served today at the City Tavern in Philadelphia.

Recipe:

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 cup brown sugar
1 tablespoon baking powder
3/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ginger
1/2 teaspoon allspice
1/2 cup margarine, cut into small pieces
1/2 cup milk
1 large or 3/4 cup Virginia Sweep Potatoes, mashed
1/2 cup pecans, chopped

Combine the dry ingredients. Add margarine. Combine milk and sweet potatoes, add to flour mixture. Add pecans. Knead dough with your hands until it is a smooth mass. Roll out on floured surface to 1/2 inch thickness and cut with a 2 inch biscuit cutter. Place on a greased baking sheet 2 inches a part. Bake at 450 degrees for about 10 to 15 minutes or until lightly browned. Cool on wire rack. Makes 10 to 12 biscuits.
 
I haven't been able to make everything but try to make many. I know diane has tried many of the recipes.

I come from a long line of cooks, both ladies and men. The times in the kitchen can and have been fun times for me. It is interesting to learn the foods of long ago and try them. I collect cookbooks and recipes.
 
Donna. Thanks for sharing this fantastic and absolutely delicious biscuit recipe. I too ate these fabulous biscuits many times at City Tavern in Philadelphia while mother was at her medical school reunions at Thomas Jefferson, ironically. Is there a difference between a Virginia sweet potato and a regular sweet potato and I always wondered if there was a difference between yams and sweet potatoes? Keep up the great work. David.
 
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