Breadbowl Biscuits

The photo and namesake of my blog is a bread bowl that belonged to my grandmother. This bowl and a cast iron skillet will be seen in many of my photos and are my favorite keepsakes from her. My gran used this bowl and skillet almost everyday that she cooked and she cooked everyday. When she was a child, her mother died and left her and eleven siblings to be cared for by her father. Her job was to cook for the family and she learned how to cook by doing and doing it in a big way. I have dozens of her recipe books, but they are pristine, none of them were used. No pages stuck together from batter flying, no stains from vanilla extract, no favorites marked, no signs of use period. On the other hand, the bowl and skillet show plenty of age and use. While they no longer get the same level of use, they are the apron strings that tie me to my gran. I'm going to attempt to share the way she made biscuits in this bowl. I wish I had a photo of her making them. She was a messy cook, she used her hands instead of utensils and she mixed and measured by feel. When I would help her make the biscuits she would be on one side of the bowl and I'd be on the other and she would guide my hands through the dough as though she could transfer her skills to me. She didn't, but I'll give it my best shot.

Breadbowl Biscuits

Preheat oven to 375◦

Oil cast iron skillet or baking pan and place into oven while oven is preheating. Do not let it overheat, you may need to place it in the oven after you have prepared the dough until you get the hang of it.

Self rising flour
Crisco shortening
Buttermilk
Butter
Wooden Breadbowl or large bowl



Pour flour into bowl
Make a hole in the center of the flour
Scoop out a "dollop" (1/2 cup?) of shortening
Work the shortening into the flour by placing your hand (or utensil) with the shortening into the hole and slowly "cutting" the shortening into the flour, using small amounts of flour and shortening at the time
When you have the shortening and flour mixed into "small flour pebbles"
Begin to add buttermilk into the hole
In circular motions, begin to mix the buttermilk into the flour pebbles, pulling in small amounts of flour and buttermilk until the consistency becomes pliable and not sticky.
The dough should roll easily into a ball and not have cracks or be sticky.
Pinch off small portions of the dough and roll them into medium size balls, or roll the dough and cut into circles with a inch deep cookie cutter.
Place the dough into the heated oiled skillet or pan and press gently.
Melt butter or cut into thin pats and place onto top of biscuits.
Cook for 10 to 15 minutes, checking after 10, until tops are light to medium brown.

There are easier biscuit recipes, just check the White Lily flour bag if you are looking for easy. There is something deeply satisfying about working this dough and you might want to give it a try at least once. Be patient, don't overwork the dough and wear an real apron, not the fancy kind.