Set Of Three Biscuit Cutters Used By Sandra Gutierrez

Between 1985 and 2016

These stainless-steel biscuit cutters nest in three concentric circles, each with a semi-circular handle for pressing a round blade into dough. Twist and lift to release a biscuit ready for the oven. Biscuits are a staple food in the American South, just as tortillas are in Latin America. This set of biscuit cutters belonged to chef and author Sandra Gutiérrez, for whom a tortilla press is an equally essential kitchen tool, as detailed in her cookbook, The New Southern Latino Table. Born in the United States and raised in Guatemala, cooking was a way to find community when Gutiérrez moved to Durham, North Carolina in the mid-1980s. In her words, “When I moved to the South, I wanted to learn how to make the best biscuits possible. I took every opportunity to learn from my friends and their mothers, who took turns teaching me the right way to handle biscuits.” Along with her tortilla press (2017.14.3) and cast-iron skillet (2017.14.1), Gutiérrez’s biscuit cutters were on display at the Museum’s exhibition, Gateways/Portales, from December 2016 to January 2018.