Ever since I become a convert of Southern cooking, I consider myself an expert on biscuits. I came to this high office by eating my way across country partaking of biscuits. I have consumed biscuits in taverns, bistros, cafes, diners, boarding houses (Mrs. Wilkes Boarding House in Savannah), bed and breakfast inns, McDonald’s, roadside eateries and numerous other establishments.
I have come to the conclusion that biscuits are the food of the common folk; a culinary gift available to those dedicated to simple but tasty vittles.
Before I go any further let me enlighten you on the difference between biscuits in our beloved country and those offered in the mother country. English biscuits have no resemblance to our puffy, fluffy delights. Those across the pond are what we commonly refer to as cookies or crackers. They are harder, sweeter and are mostly served at tea time.
Biscuits are mostly of Southern origin and in traditional Southern homes the biscuit reigns supreme especially at breakfast when they are served with grits, eggs, bacon, sausage and often with milk gravy (also known as country gravy or sawmill gravy).
To pay homage to biscuits, the International Biscuit Festival is in Knoxville, Tennessee. All sorts of exciting events are planned during the festival, held in May. These events are conjured up by the Food Network, the Southern Food Writing Conference and numerous commercial sponsors.
Were I to make my way to Knoxville you might find me at the Biscuit Breakfast, scarfing down a hearty helping of forbidden foods and plenty of biscuits. There is a Biscuit Bazaar featuring all those great foods that marry well with the biscuit; such as jams, jellies, honey, sorghum and a selection of biscuit-appropriate aprons, cookbooks, artwork and tempting kitchenware.
I would relish spending many hours at the Biscuit Boulevard where I will succumb to my taste buds and sample various versions of the main attraction. Twenty different vendors will offer biscuits and I wouldn’t dream of not sampling each one.
And, of course, I should participate is the Biscuit Bake-Off with great confidence that I will come away as the Biscuit Baker Belle.
I come to this confidence after years of biscuit baking. I use biscuit dough not only as a traditional substitute for yeast breads but use the dough for dumplings, crusts for chicken pot pie and other pot pies. My most courageous recipe came about when I substituted chicken fat as shortening and used the resulting dough on a chicken pot pie. Friends are still licking their chops.
Biscuits are useful as canapés. Wrapped around slivers of genuine country ham is ambrosial. At breakfast, the biscuits marry well with honey, maple syrup, any kind of jam or jelly, sausages and you can’t beat the taste of freshly baked biscuits dipped into freshly fried eggs and a tad of grits.
Creamed salmon yearns for biscuits as does chicken and gravy, stews of lamb and beef, crisp bacon and I have even served eggs Benedict on a bed of biscuits.
I am about to reveal a well-kept kitchen secret. I have been known to use Bisquick. Invented in 1930, it is one of the most convenient products to come on the market. However, I usually use King Arthur flour, lard or butter, buttermilk, salt and baking soda.
Over the years, several versions of the biscuit have been introduced. In 1853 the beaten biscuit make its appearance. This curious version is also known as the “Maryland biscuit.” After the dough is roundly beaten it produces a very hard, crisp biscuit and is seldom prepared today.
For those with a mind for a more spiritual bent there is the “angel biscuit,” described by cookbook author Betty Fussell as “a double-light biscuit” since it uses both yeast and baking powder to leaven the dough. This biscuit is made from a very moist buttermilk dough more easily shaped into a much looser biscuit blob.
Try your hand at making some biscuits. It’s easy and your family and friends will celebrate at the table.
TRADITIONAL SOUTHERN BISCUITS
2 cups sifted flour (I use all-purpose)
2-1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup shortening (lard, Crisco or butter)
2/3 cup milk, approximately (I use buttermilk)
Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Sift the flour, baking powder and salt into a mixing bowl. With a pastry blender or 2 knives cut in shortening until mixture ha the texture of coarse cornmeal.
Stir mixture gently with a fork while adding the milk. Use enough milk to form a dough that is soft but not sticky.
Knead on a lightly floured board until smooth. Roll dough until it is ½-inch thick.
Cut with a floured biscuit cutter and place of a baking sheet at 1-inch intervals. Bake 12 to 15 minutes, or until golden brown. Makes 16 2-inch biscuits.
ASK DORIS
Q: I lived in Tallahassee for several yeas and ate at my favorite restaurant, The Wharf. My favorite dish was Deviled Crab. Please provide a recipe.
— Leonard Joshmen, Estero
A: I have a wonderful book, “The Special Taste of Florida,” and was grateful for this recipe.
DEVILED CRAB
1 pound fresh blue crab meat
1/2 pound crushed saltines
½ bell pepper, chopped
½ medium onion, chopped
½ cup mayonnaise
½ cup ketchup
¼ cup Worcestershire sauce
2 eggs, beaten
2 tablespoons Old Bay Seafood seasoning
1/8 teaspoon black pepper
Blend crab meat, crushed crackers, bell pepper and onion together and set aside.
Mix remaining ingredients and add to crab mixture.
Shape into 3 or 4 patties and place on a well-greased baking pan.
Bake for 10 or 15 minutes at 350 degrees or until brown. Serve hot.
Doris Reynolds is the author of “When Peaco*cks Were Roasted and Mullet was Fried” and a four-part DVD “A Walk Down Memory Lane with Doris Reynolds.” They are available for sale in the lobby of the Naples Daily News. Contact Doris Reynolds at foodlvr25@aol.com
