Grandmother’s Biscuits

There are places I remember …

Well, in my case, the song would have to be rewritten. There are flavors I remember …

And they don’t necessarily have to be flavors that are tasted, some are flavors that I smell (yes, you can smell flavors) and they bring me right to a specific place or person.

A small waft of Estee Lauder Youth Dew reminds me of my mother. It has always been her scent. There is something safe and comforting about the smell.

Coffee brewing and bacon cooking remind me of mornings I woke up at my Auntie Grace’s house in Breezy Point.

A certain musty smell reminds me of my grandparent’s summer home in Lake Mahopac.

Choward’s Violet candies remind me of Titi, our school bus driver in grammar school.

Fresh baked Italian bread and lilacs remind me of summers in Westport, CT. So do burgers grilling, they bring me right to Chubby’s on Compo Beach.

Chicken Cacciatore, avgolemeno soup and, most importantly biscuits, remind me of my Grandmother.

She was never a Nana, Granny, Nonna, or even a Grandma. Always Grandmother. And despite how stodgey and cold that name may sound, she was quite the opposite. There was always something wonderful cooking, something you could smell when you arrived outside her front door. There were always laughs and truths and a safe place to be.

When my Grandmother passed away, my sister took her recipe book and photocopied her recipes and put them in binders with photos of her. Thank you, sissy. I cherish these recipes.

Unfortunately, many of my favorite recipes were never written down, I learned to make them by watching her. I suppose I should make these recipes with a notebook close by and try to put them in written form. One recipe, for an apple cake, had only half the directions written down. I need to get some foodie friends to help me figure out what should be there.

My Grandmother’s biscuits were amazing. Quick to put together. Simple ingredients. Completely fool-proof.

• 2 C flour
• 3 t baking powder
• 1/2 t salt
• 4 T butter
• 1 1/2 C milk

NOTE: My Grandmother’s recipe calls for margarine, so feel free to substitute. I prefer butter. Her recipe also didn’t call for salt. I add it. I like it.

Preheat oven to 350.

Melt butter. Add all ingredients to a bowl and mix.

NOTE: See? Simple.

Now, you can go two ways with these biscuits. You can make free form plops on a lightly buttered baking sheet. Or you can butter the cups of a cupcake tin and scoop the batter into them. I used a large cookie scoop. I make these both ways depending on my mood and how many things I want to wash and put away after!

I lightly butter the tops of the biscuits before baking.

Bake for 15 to 20 minutes. I swear the timing is different every time I make them. You want the tops to be golden brown.

This makes between 10 and 12 – again, different every time I make them!

We very rarely have any left over, but they’re wonderful toasted!