Heat milk to 24°C (75°F), add the yeast and dissolve. Add 200 g (7 oz) pastry flour and combine well. Sift the remaining flour with the baking powder and cover sponge with the remaining flour and then with the remaining dry ingredients. Set aside and let the sponge ferment for 15 minutes. Place into a mixing bowl with a dough hook attachment and add all the remaining ingredients. Mix 3 minutes on first gear and seven minutes on third gear. Add the American Pistachios and mix on low speed until incorporated. Bench rest for 20 minutes, covered. Punch down and rest again for 10 minutes.

Using the pastry sheeter, roll the dough down to # 8 or about 1 inch with a rolling pin on a well-floured surface. Cut with a cookie cutter into desired shapes. Place on a corn meal dusted sheet pan and proof for 20-30 minutes. Bake on a preheated griddle at 190°C (375°F) on both sides until golden brown.

Notes
The story is that an English baker, a certain Samuel B. Thomas, started making these flat chewy things in America over 100 years ago, from his mother's teacake recipe. The English deny that they ever heard or saw anything like it until they were imported from America. Today you can find Thomas' English Muffins in most English supermarkets imported from America.

The curious thing is that 'muffins' in the U.S. are not anything like these so-called 'English muffins'. (Maybe this was an inexperienced English immigrant baker's attempt to make crumpets from a half-remembered recipe of his mother's.) Muffins in America are 'quick breads' that is, made with no yeast, but leavened with egg and baking powder.

English muffins are about 3 inches round and 1 inch high, yeast-raised (basically a bread dough) and baked on a griddle. To get the proper texture when split in two they should not be cut with a knife, but should be split with a fork. The resulting rough texture gives them certain crunchiness when toasted (and helps them hold gobs of butter and preserves).

They are an essential ingredient for Eggs Benedict.

Biscuit (BISH-kiht) - In England, it is the equivalent of U.S. cookies (small, sweet cakes). In the U.S., a type of non-yeast bread made of flour, milk, and shortening, usually served with breakfast - small, and similar to what much of the world refers to as "scones."

Butter need to be at room temperature. DO NOT overheat the milk; it will destroy the yeast cells. Replace the butter with shortening or lard. Serve toasted with poached egg, hollandaise sauce and chopped onions.

Nutritional Information per Serving: 189 calories, 5 g protein, 11 g fat, 5 g saturated fat, 20 g carbohydrates, 7 g sugars, 1 g fiber, 15 mg cholesterol, 476 mg sodium.