Harriet’s Southern Biscuits

Just the name of this section should bring to your mind the wonderful
smell of the homemade biscuits you had when you were a child.

At least, I hope you had that kind of a childhood. Actually, I did not.
My mother rarely made biscuits, but her noodles or dumplings were
wonderful.

The following few recipes are just to get you started . . . or perhaps
back to doing something that you used to love to do: making biscuits,
something very simple to do. MAKES 6-8 BISCUITS

Harriet Fields is a dear friend and a fine cook. She comes from Texas and
her husband, Ron, comes from Arkansas. Ron’s mother taught Harriet to make
these biscuits, but now Ron claims that Harriet’s biscuits are better than
his mother’s. Boy, if Mrs. Fields sees this book, I’ll bet we are all going
to be in trouble.

One of the secrets to these little jewels is a very hot, oiled, black
frying pan. I had never seen this prior to my instruction from Harriet, but
now I can do these quite well myself.

Mix the dry ingredients together in a mixing bowl. Blend in the Crisco
until the mixture is coarse and grainy. Harriet uses a fork, but I have
better luck with a pastry blender. Then, using a fork, stir in the
buttermilk. Do not overmix. Put out on a floured board or marble pastry
board and knead just a few times. Pat out the dough to about 1/2 inch
thick. Cut with a biscuit cutter or a glass. (Flour the cutter.) Do not
handle the dough too much or it will get tough.

Use a heavy black iron frying pan. Place the 1 tablespoon of Crisco in
the frying pan and put the frying pan in the oven for about 7 minutes.
Remove the pan from the oven and place the biscuits in the pan. Turn each
once in the oil and bake the biscuits at 500 for 10 minutes, or until
light brown.