Farmer's Biscuit

Hi!  Today's article comes with a little background.  This recipe was given to me by my aunt, passed down to her from her family.  The story begins when her family came over on the Mayflower.  They were not nobles, or anything so extravagant, but farmers.  As time continued, and they could hire farmhands, the women needed a good hearty breakfast  to feed the hired help.  Biscuits were simple, and could go with nearly everything, but they needed a hearty biscuit, something to stick in your insides and last you till dinner time.  This biscuit recipe is just that.  It is dense, and very filling.  The biscuit recipe also needed to be easy to remember.  All you need to know for this recipe is how to count.

Farmer's Biscuits

1 teaspoon salt

2 cups flour

3 teaspoons baking powder

1/4 cup lard, butter, or shortening (or as they remembered it, about the size of a hen's egg)

just enough milk (about 1/4 cup, and somehow this translates to "5")

knead 6 times

Directions

Heat the oven to 400*

Put all dry ingredients in a bowl and mix until well combined.

Add lard, butter, or shortening.  Using your hands, pinch together until completely combined.  Flour should have a sandy texture.

Slowly add milk, making sure dough does not get sticky, but stays slightly flaky, just sticking together.

Knead six times.

Flour countertop, and turn dough out onto the floured surface.  Pat out into an about 1 1/2 round, making sure it is all even.  Cut out into desired size.  (note: When you put all the dough back together when you run out of room to cut out anymore, do NOT roll back together.  Push together from the sides.)

Bake on an ungreased cookie sheet for 15 to 20 minutes or until the top edges start to brown, and the bottoms are golden.

These biscuits really were very hearty, and filling!  It is easily understood why my aunt's kin were so fond of the recipe!