Breakfast in the South is a tradition that does not seem to carry over to other parts of the United States. While those in other regions may be satisfied with a cup of coffee and a slice of toast, we Southerners believe in hearty eating! The first meal in my house varies at times, depending on what the scales say that morning, but one thing that always finds its way to the table is homemade biscuits.
Biscuit making has become almost a lost art. I admit I am not a skilled biscuit maker, though they are edible. My 86 year old mother is the Biscuit Queen to our family. Her biscuits are absolutely wonderful! Over the years, Mama has experimented with different brands of flour (We Southerners prefer White Lily, and you can use the self-rising flour in this recipe instead of the all purpose – see directions below) and different types of shortening, from pure lard to butter to good old Crisco, now her first choice for health reasons. She claims she can make a pan of biscuits faster than someone else can prepare a batch of buttered toast. I’ve seen her in action, and it’s true! Everyone in our circle of friends raves about these biscuits, and have even been known to beg for a freshly made pan of uncooked biscuit dough to take home with them and bake for themselves the next morning at breakfast time.
Biscuits can be eaten plain or spread with real butter, jam or jelly, or the Southern favorite, cane syrup. Whether they accompany other traditional Southern breakfast favorites like grits, or are eaten alone, these biscuits always make the morning (or evening – they are good with other meals, too!) very special.
In a large mixing bowl, combine the flour, baking powder and salt. If you are using self-rising flour, omit the baking powder and salt. Mix these ingredients well. Add the cold shortening (Mama keeps her Crisco can in the refrigerator) and work it into the dry ingredients about two tablespoons at a time. Some people use a fork, or a special tool made for just his purpose. My mother always uses her hand. Whatever you choose, work the shortening until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs, about the size of a pea. Stir in the milk. The type is your choice, though the biscuits made with buttermilk don’t seem to rise as well, and give the dough a bit of a tangy taste. Mama also claims that for some reason, when she uses buttermilk, the biscuits do not rise quite as high when baked. We alternate the type of milk we use, depending on what we’re going to eat along with the biscuits. The dough will be sticky, but don’t worry, this will soon change.
Dust your work surface with some flour. Our butcher block island counter top makes a great work surface. Turn the dough from the bowl onto the floured surface. You can either pat out the dough with your hands, or use a rolling pin. Turn the dough over and press it out to 1-inch thickness. Cut the biscuits, straight down, do not twist the cutter, with a 2 1/4-inch round cookie cutter. The end of a clean soup can also works well as a cutter. My mother saves time on busy mornings by pinching off pieces of dough the size of a medium lemon, She then cups her hand, gently rolling the dough in it with the palm of her other hand, and pats the pieces of dough into a round shape, flattening them slightly. Melt the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter and pour into a good-sized, heavy cookie sheet . Place the biscuits in the pan, turning once (to coat both sides with butter), about 1/4-inch apart. Let the biscuits rest for 15 minutes before baking. Bake until golden brown, about 15 minutes.
