Heritage Pantry Series: Buttermilk Biscuits Were a Delicious Staple

Rideau’s Rearview

By CJ Rooney

Biscuits were a staple in most households in days past. They were an easy way to get filled up, and also a way to make use of buttermilk. (A by-product of the buttermaking process.)

Most often, they were made ‘by feel’ without any real recipe at all. You had to know what the dough should feel like, and work from there. We’ll go over such a ‘recipe’ below.

Start by filling a large container with flour. Or, if you have a flour crib, (a large wooden cradle-like container in which flour was stored), you can use that. Wash your hands thoroughly. Create a ‘well’ in the middle of the flour, by making an indent with your hand, about the size of your fist. Pour buttermilk into the well. (If you don’t have buttermilk, you can sour ordinary milk by adding 2 Tbsp vinegar/lemon juice and mixing in a cup before adding to flour.)

Add a sprinkle of sugar, and a shake or two of salt. Add butter or lard, using 2 pieces ‘the size of an egg’. Using your hand, work the lard unto the milk mixture until lard is not clumped. To mix dough, pull flour in from the sides, to the middle of the well one handful at a time. Work liquids and flour together with one hand, squeezing wet mixture between fingers and adding more flour from edges as needed. Do not overwork, mix only until all milk has been absorbed, and dough is not sticky. (Dough should only use as much flour as is needed, not the whole pail.)

Turn out dough onto floured surface, and flatten to ½” thick. Cut biscuits with a round biscuit cutter, or a floured drinking glass. Place onto greased baking tray or cast-iron skillet. Bake at 450°F for 10 minutes, or until golden brown. For extra moist biscuits, brush melted butter on top halfway through cooking time. For best results, enjoy warm with homemade jam and a glass of cold milk.

If you come to most kitchens around mealtime, chances are you’d find a quick batch of biscuits being prepared…after all, the best way to get the extra gravy off your plate is to ‘sop it up’! (Maybe we’ll cover that in another edition, for those unfamiliar with that fine art!) At least, that’s what you’d see if you took a glance in Rideau’s Rearview.

UPCOMING HERITAGE EVENTS:

-Harvest Festival @ Dickinson Square (Sun Oct. 13 11-2pm)
-Milling Demonstration @ Watson’s Mill (Sundays 1-3pm)

(SUBMISSIONS WELCOME: If you have anything you’d like to see covered in this column, or have information you think may be of interest, call 692-4036.)