2 c All-purpose flour
1/4 ts Baking soda
1 tb Baking powder
1 ts Salt
6 tb Lard
3/4 c Buttermilk
Sift the dry ingredients in a large bowl and cut in the lard with a
pastry cutter or with two knives until a coarse meal texture is
obtained. Add buttermilk and knead lightly but thoroughly. The
dough should be soft but not sticky: if it is, add a little more
flour. Knead for 1 minute; wrap in foil or wax paper and
refrigerate for at least 20 minutes.
Preheat the oven to 450°F. Roll out the dough 1/2" thick on a
lightly floured surface and cut with a biscuit cutter. If you don't
have one, a drinking glass of the desired diameter will work okay.
Transfer biscuits to a dark baking sheet and bake until golden
brown, 10 to 12 minutes.
A variation that is very good for cocktail biscuits is to fold in
1/2 ts dried rosemary, cut the biscuits small and serve with ham or
smoked sausage.
Recipe by Camille Glenn's Heritage of Southern Cooking
