A Signal of Warm Hospitality

Our first breakfast while on vacation in West Virginia (at Aunt Virgie's house.) Notice that pile of homemade biscuits in the center of the table right in front of that gravy! They were so so so very good! I think we had biscuits 4 out of 7 mornings spent there!

GO AHEAD! CLICK ON THE PHOTO TO ENLARGE AND SALIVATE!!!

There's no denying it! Biscuits on the table signal warm hospitality and are a quick way to butter up to people!

I saw the following recipes in one of my husband's industry magazine and started salivating. I haven't tried either of them yet, but I think the photo of the scones looked scrumptious!

Buttermilk Cheddar Drop Scones

All purpose flour 3 3/4 cups
Sugar 5 1/2 Tbsp.
Baking Powder 4 1/2 tsp.
Buttermilk 1 tsp.
Eggs 1 cup
Butter, cubed, chilled 5 oz.
Cheddar, shredded 1/4 cup
Chives, minced 1/4 cup

1. In a small bowl, whisk together buttermilk and eggs; set aside.

2. In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine flour, sugar, baking powder and salt. Add the butter, and using the paddle attachment, mix together on low speed until mixture forms a coarse meal. Add buttermilk mixture gradually, mix just until combined. Mix in Cheddar and chives.

3. Using a spoon or an ice cream scoop, drop 1 inch balls of dough onto a parchment-lined sheet tray. In a 350 degree oven, bake 12 to 15 minutes or until lightly golden brown.

Yields 26 scones


Crispy Biscuits

All-purpose flour 2 cups plus extra for dusting
Baking powder 2 tsp.
Baking soda 1/2 tsp.
Kosher salt 1/4 tsp.
Unsalted butter, cubed, chilled 5 Tbsp.
Buttermilk 2/3 cup

1. In a large bowl, mix together flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Using a fork or your fingers, rub the butter into the flour until the mixture forms a coarse meal. Mix in the buttermilk until just combined. The dough will seem too dry at first.

2. On a floured surface, gently fold the dough over itself a few times until it begins to come together; roll out 1/4 in. thick Dust a round quarter-sized cutter. Punch out rounds, place on a parchment-lined sheet tray.

3. Bake in 475F convection oven for 10 minutes. (Longer in a regular oven)

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TIPS FROM BISCUIT PROS

A few simple biscuit-making tricks can make a big difference in outcome.

*Dust your cutter with flour before you punch out the biscuits. You need a clean cut to get the biscuits to rise evenly in the oven. --Executive Chef Erin O'Shea, Marigold Kitchen, Philadelphia

*Use a finely ground self-rising flour, preferably one low in protein, to help create a flaky, light, biscuit. --Pastry Chef Candace Rowan, Town Hall, San Francisco

*Bake the biscuits as soon as you make the dough. If the dough sits too long, the baking powder will react with the buttermilk and the biscuits won't rise as much when they are baked. --Randy Kibler, CEO Bojangles' Famous Chicken 'n Biscuits, Charlotte, N.C.

*To speed the next morning's biscuit prep process, measure out all ingredients separately the night before so that the bake can put the dough together quickly. --Jeramie Mitchell, Executive Chef, Busch Stadium, St. Louis