On Wed 29 Jul 2009 07:57:22a, Jean B. told us...

> Wayne Boatwright wrote:
>> On Tue 28 Jul 2009 05:59:12a, Jean B. told us...
>>
>>> Wayne Boatwright wrote:
>>>> On Tue 28 Jul 2009 05:22:07a, Jean B. told us...
>>>>
>>>>> Wayne Boatwright wrote:
>>>>>> On Sun 26 Jul 2009 08:24:53p, Paul M. Cook told us...
>>>>>>
>>>>>>> "Damaeus" > wrote in message
>>>>>>> ...
>>>>>>>> I accidentally posted this first to rec.food-cooking....here's a
>>>>>>>> post for this group:
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>> I like biscuits now and then, and I got the itch to have some a
>>>>>>>> while back when I was watching the Food Network and saw Tyler
>>>>>>>> Florence's version. He shocked me when he said to use vegetable
>>>>>>>> shortening, his reason being that he found that butter tends to
>>>>>>>> burn, while shortening doesn't.
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>> Well, here's the recipe, first of all:
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>> http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/t...ttermilk-biscu
>>>>>>>> it s- re cipe2/index.html
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>> Okay, I tried the recipe. I have to say they were not unedible,
>>>>>>>> but nowhere near the quality of biscuits I had made using butter
>>>>>>>> instead of shortening. These biscuits came out reminding me of
>>>>>>>> store-bought, canned biscuits. I blame the shortening, because
>>>>>>>> all shortening is, is hydrogenated and partially hydrogenated
>>>>>>>> oils. I was skeptical of them for that reason alone.
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>> That said, I had normally made biscuits with plain whole milk,
>>>>>>>> not buttermilk. We normally don't keep buttermilk in the house,
>>>>>>>> but my roommate had a craving for fried chicken with buttermilk
>>>>>>>> batter, so since we had some left, I made buttermilk biscuits,
>>>>>>>> then buttermilk pancakes a few days later. The biscuits did rise
>>>>>>>> nicely, however.
>>>>>>>> But they turned out with a very yellow color inside, which
>>>>>>>> surprised me greatly. They were quite white going in, but you'd
>>>>>>>> think I'd laced them with turmeric, they came out so yellow. (I
>>>>>>>> used unbleached flour.) As for the doneness, there was an even,
>>>>>>>> brown crust all the way around it, that was almost cookie-like in
>>>>>>>> texture, about a millimeter thick. I layered it as he suggested
>>>>>>>> on TV, and as a result, they simply pulled apart like a
>>>>>>>> biscuit-bun, no need for a knife to cut it in half.
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>> Once I get some more flour, I'm going to try buttermilk biscuits
>>>>>>>> again before it expires, using butter instead of shortening to
>>>>>>>> compare.
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>> What is your experience with using butter versus shortening? So
>>>>>>>> far, I'm not impressed with shortening, but I may have to blame
>>>>>>>> the buttermilk if using butter in the next go-around results in
>>>>>>>> the same type of experience.
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> I've never found butter to work well in biscuits. You get a
>>>>>>> crispy rather than soft biscuit. I don't like the heavy taste
>>>>>>> anyway as I put butter on the biscuits. I have always used lard
>>>>>>> or vegetable shortening. Lard makes the best biscuits IMO.
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> Paul
>>>>>> Lard + buttermilk + soft wheat flour (like White Lily) make the
>>>>>> lightest and best biscuits.
>>>>>>
>>>>> I can see I need to buy more lard. I am thinking I can use the
>>>>> recipe in James Beard's American Cookery, but with those
>>>>> ingredients. Yes?
>>>> Absolutely.
>>>>
>>>>> Speaking of buttermilk... This is probably a stupid question, but
>>>>> is it possible to find real old-fashioned buttermilk anywhere in
>>>>> the Boston area?
>>>> Most of what you'll find in any city is cultured buttermilk, but
>>>> quality varies. I usually buy mine at TJ's or Sprouts. You'd
>>>> probably have to find a private dairy to get the "real thing", but
>>>> good quality cultured buttermilk works just fine.
>>>>
>>>> Once you have some, you can perpetuate your supply by mixing up a
>>>> quart of non-fat dry milk, adding a cup of buttermilk and leaving it
>>>> to set on the counter overnight, or until it clabbers. Then shake
>>>> well and refrigerate. You can repeat this process indefinitely.
>>>> Buttermilk used for cooking purposes can be kept refrigerated for
>>>> months without spoiling.
>>>>
>>> Cool! Thanks. I still would like to find the old-style
>>> buttermilk at least once in my lifetime.
>>>
>>
>> Then you need raw milk where the cream hasn't been separated, and a
>> churn. You can buy tabletop churns. You get the best of both worlds,
>> fresh butter and fresh buttermilk. OTOH, if you drive out into the
>> country where there are small farms that keep a few cows, they may make
>> small quantities for themselves and might be wiling to part with some.
>> Is there any Amish country within your driving distance?
>>
> Probably not. BUT this ties in with my growing desire to
> experience milk that is more like nature intended!
>

Then you definitely need to buy a cow. :-)

--
Wayne Boatwright
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One cannot think well, love well, sleep well, if one has not dined
well. Virginia Woolf