Southern Buttermilk Biscuits

Remember in an early scene of Gone With the Wind when Mammy is cinching up Scarlett's corset? After the corset is as tight as it will go, Mammy presents a plate heaping with food and tells Scarlett to eat. Scarlett promptly refuses because she wants to eat at the party she is getting ready for. But Mammy tells her "it ain't fittin" for a young belle to eat like a pig at a party. She needs to eat like a bird. After Mammy does a fair amount of fussing at Scarlett, she complies. What is the first thing she grabs off that plate? A big ole biscuit! White, fluffy goodness! And then she does something completely unladylike. She stuffs the whole thing in her mouth! I think that's awesome!

There are so many different variations of biscuits. But nothing really beats the garden variety plain version. It's simple. It's basic. It's good. I think some people would sell their soul for a perfect biscuit. Some people like them all by themselves. Some people drizzle honey on them or slather with butter. Some people use them as a sopping (yes...sopping is a real word in my world - it kinda makes me hungry) up tool for gravy and such.

There is definitely a trick to making them though. And that trick lies in the butter. It has to be super cold. If your butter is at room temperature, don't bother. Stick it in the freezer for a while until it hardens up. Then you are ready to proceed.

So without further ado, I give you White Fluffy Buttermilk Biscuits!

White, Fluffy Buttermilk Biscuits
2 cups self-rising flour
1 stick of very cold butter
3/4 cup buttermilk
melted butter

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a bowl, combine flour and cold butter cut into slices or cubes. With a pastry fork or with your hands, mash the butter into the flour until it resembles coarse crumbs. Add the buttermilk until moistened. Turn out onto a floured surface and knead 2-3 times until dough comes together. Lightly roll or pat the dough into a 3/4" thickness. Cut with a 2" biscuit cutter. Place biscuits on a greased cookie sheet. Bake for 11-13 minutes until golden brown. Melt some butter and brush on top of cooked biscuits. Serve warm.