My dad gave loaned me an ancient cookbook that he had gotten from his grandmother. He said he always intended to try out some of the recipes, especially the really weird ones (Roast opossum, anyone?) but hadn’t gotten around to it. So, he let me borrow the cookbook with the knowledge that I would be expected to give it back “eventually.”
One morning Hubby was feeling motivated and decided to make biscuits from scratch. He pulled out the ancient cookbook and made the best biscuits I’ve ever eaten. I like to think that this is an “old family recipe” but I don’t really remember my great-grandmother cooking anything specific (though she did cook a lot). I do remember that she always put cheddar cheese on apple pie, which is both the strangest and best thing I’ve ever had.
Grandma’s homemade baking powder biscuits
Source: Culinary Arts Institute Encyclopedic Cookbook, published in 1943
Ingredients
- 2 cups sifted flour
- 3 teaspoons baking powder
- half a teaspoon salt
- 4 tablespoons cold shortening (we use butter)
- three-quarters of a cup milk
Instructions
Sift dry ingredients together and cut in shortening (or butter). Add milk to make a soft dough. Place on a floured board and knead lightly a few seconds, using as little flour as possible on board. Roll out half inch thick and cut with floured biscuit cutter. Place on greased baking sheet and bake at 450 degrees F, about 12 minutes. Makes about 14 (2-inch) biscuits.
I recommend doubling this. And maybe making the biscuits a bit bigger, say 3 inches.
Serve hot out of the oven, slathered in homemade jam.
Do you have an old favorite family recipe? The back of the Bisquick box counts, by the way.
My grandma always made baking powder biscuits. They were so good.
=)
Hey! That is MY biscuit recipe! It’s great, isn’t it! My grandmother taught me how to make biscuits.
Yum! What a cool looking “ancient” cookbook! Roast opossum? no thanks! I’ll take the biscuits!
I love old cookbooks. I can’t wait for the letter “O” when you will post for Oppossum. Joni
My mum makes the best baking powder biscuits that we call Tea Biscuits because we always had them with tea. They’d be slathered with butter and spread with molasses – that was a Nova Scotia tea time treat!
I’m sure these are delicious!! I wish I had the patience for real cooking…
Nice recipe for biscuits. I made something similar the day before yesterday because I ran out of yeast and only had baking powder.
Best wishes,
Anna
Purrs,
Sara Cat
Sara Cat’s B-post JM
Anna’s B-post JM
Oh yum. My oldest loves a good biscuit. Maybe I should make her some
I always make drop biscuits due to sheer laziness but these look like they might be worth a gamble!
I love baking powder biscuits AND old cookbooks so this was a doubly perfect post for me.
My Mom always made strawberry shortcakes with biscuits like that, too.
And, of course, sausage gravy just isn’t ‘right’ if it’s not over home-made.
Thanks for sharing this delicious stop on our little journey through Alphabe-Thursday.
A+