Rusk

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See Rusk (disambiguation) for other meanings.

A rusk is a rectangular, hard, dry biscuit or a twice-baked bread (zwieback). It is sometimes used as a baby weaning food. In the UK, the name also refers to a food additive. See also Milk toast, the modern store-bought forms of which strongly resemble rusks with slight flavouring and sweeteners.

Contents 1 South Africa 2 Netherlands: Beschuitje 3 Germany 4 United Kingdom 4.1 Farley's rusks 4.2 Butcher's rusk 5 References 6 External links

[edit] South Africa

In South Africa, rusk is a traditional biscuit (called beskuit in Afrikaans) that is eaten after having been dipped in coffee, tea, or rooibos tea.^[1] Historically, rusks evolved (along with biltong) during the country's early pioneering days as a way to preserve bread in the dry climate. It was also extensively used during times of war^[2] or when traveling long distances.

Traditionally baked at home, but there are now several mass-market versions available, the most famous probably being Ouma Rusks. Many bakeries, delis and home industries sell them, often using more exotic ingredients than their mass-market counterparts. In addition to plain and buttermilk flavours, there are aniseed, wholewheat, condensed milk, muesli, and lemon poppyseed versions.

[edit] Netherlands: Beschuitje

Beschuit are the light, round, rather crumbly, rusks as eaten in the Netherlands. It is customary to serve beschuit met muisjes (sprinkled with spiced "mice") at the birth of a baby. Beschuit are also eaten as a breakfast food with a variety of toppings, most commonly butter and sprinkles in flavors like chocolate (chocoladehagel) or fruit(vruchtenhagel).

Beschuits are almost always sold in rolls; a roll typically has thirteen rusks. They are made by first baking a flat round bread (beschuitbol), slicing it, and then baking each half again, possibly at a lower heat, as in the oven after the main baking is over. Etymologically, biscotte (16c. Italian), biscuit (19th c., from 16th c. bisket) and beschuitje come from L. (panis) bis+coctus, (bread) twice cooked. The South African beskuit (Afrikaans) tradition derives from Beschuitje.

[edit] Germany

The zwieback (lit. baked twice) is a form of rusk eaten in Germany.

[edit] United Kingdom

[edit] Farley's rusks

In the UK, Farley's rusks are a dry biscuit dating from the 1880s but manufactured by Heinz since 1994. They are given to infants, sometimes soaked in milk and mashed up. They have a cult following among University students.^[3]

In 2006 there was a short lived scare when it was found that some Farley's Rusks contained traces of the weedkiller chlorpropham. The affected products were recalled and the contamination was traced to a batch of flour used during the manufacturing process. The level of contamination was not high enough to be considered a health risk.^[4]

A 2009 survey by the Children's Food Campaign found that Farley's Rusks were 29 percent sugar and called into question their nutritive value for children.^[5]

[edit] Butcher's rusk

To the British butcher rusk is a dry biscuit broken into particles, sorted by particle size and sold to butchers and others for use as a food additive in sausage manufacture.^[6][7] Contrary to popular belief, the rusk is not primarily a "filler" (used to "bulk-up" the meat product), but is instead used to bind the meat together and provide a particular texture.^[8] Though originally made from stale bread, now called "Bread-rusk", a yeast-free variety called simply "Rusk" is now more commonly used.

Various rusk particle sizes are used in the food industry, where uses include:^[9][10]

• A carrier for flavours, colours and seasonings
• A binding agent in hamburgers, sausages, stuffings, pies, and other compound meat products.
• As an ingredient for dried stuffing mixes.

[edit] References

[edit] External links

• Ouma Rusks