There's a Biscuit in my Batter

Okay, I'll admit it. I had never had a homemade biscuit until just a few short years ago. There were biscuits in my youth, it was just that they usually came in a refrigerated cardboard tube, and the young Adrienne, all bright-eyed and rosy-cheeked loved those biscuits any which way she could get them. My mom would open the tube with a whining peel, and out would pop a roll of dough, all perforated for easy handling. A few short minutes in the oven, and the house would smell like bread, and a warm biscuit would be resting on my dinner plate.

What can I say...it was California (not a place typically known for its homemade biscuits, fresh produce-- yes, biscuits-- no) and it was the '80's, an era of ease. And when I grew up, I actually tried several recipes for real homemade biscuits; and they were great. But I will be frank, the rolling pin, that sturdy object needed to make so many biscuits, is not always my companion. Don't get me wrong, I will yield it when necessary, but struggling with the pin can be a bit much for me to take. That was why I was thrilled to find a delicious recipe for biscuit muffins that bake up like little starchy pillows of goodness.

A sweet morning treat, delicately sweetened and tinged with the flavor of ground nutmeg, these are not the sort of biscuits one would generally eat as a side to a fried chicken dinner, but they are a stupendous breakfast bread. In fact, I got the recipe from Bread for Breakfast where author, Beth Hensperger claims the recipe is from K-Paul's restaurant in New Orleans. See, all biscuit-making credit goes to the Southerners, not Californians.

These biscuits were relatively simple to make, and required no use from my dreaded-at-times rolling pin. Just a quick pat out, and a gentle knead, and the dough is divided into 12 muffin-sized pieces. Simply plunk eat piece into a greased muffin pan, and set to bake for 30 minutes. Out of the oven comes a perfect little package of a biscuit. Tender on the inside, crisp and flaky on the outside, these muffing were the ideal conduit for rich butter, and some sweet-tart raspberry jam. If you would like the recipe for these muffins, it is on the Daily Specials page.