September is National Biscuit Month, and that upcoming food holiday brings to mind the resurgence of buttery biscuits in recent years as the popularity of comfort food continues to rise.
Biscuits can be a delicious treat on their own, or they can be used as a vessel for a variety of foods, providing the perfect breakfast sandwich bun. Because of their versatility and relatively new reputation as a gourmet option, biscuit shops are baking their way across the country.
In Maryland, Mama Biscuit’s Gourmet Biscuit Co. (MBGB) has become America's first gourmet biscuit baking company. Founded by Leslie Riley, this simple idea has grown by leaps and bounds. Expanding beyond its initial incubator kitchen in Frederick, Maryland, the company now operates out of a 7,500 square foot warehouse and office space.
MBGB has found a great deal of success with its gourmet biscuits. Riley and her team create over 50 signature heart-shaped, biscuit recipes. Top sellers include both sweet and savory offerings, like her famous Bananas Foster with salted Pecan Praline, Kahlua stuffed Brie with brown sugared pecans, and Spiced Mango with Tequila-Lime glaze. Gluten-free versions are also available.
“The unique flavor combinations of our gourmet biscuits transport your taste buds back to your childhood. Some of our biscuit flavor profiles are familiar, reminding you of family recipes. We bake love and nostalgia into every heart-shaped biscuit,” Riley says.
Meanwhile, Detroit’s Avalon International Breads is opening a new Café and Biscuit Bar this summer that will feature a buttermilk biscuit customization station. Customers will be able to add delicious toppings to their warm, buttery biscuits. The fresh concept is allowing Avalon to further expand its bakery empire in the Detroit area without overexposing itself in the minds of consumers.
Biscuits can be sweet or savory, traditional or unconventional – but no matter how they’re served, customers are lining up to get a taste of Southern comfort.
