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[EarthNSky <erthnsky AT bellsouth.net>]

Clansgian AT wmconnect.com wrote:
> > > The first part I knew.  The second I did not.  I have been
> > > thinking it
> > is like other bread in that the ingredients need to be room temp,
> > so I have like been pouring up the buttermilk first.  Cold, cold
> > cold...thanks.
>
> The colder the biscuit when it goes into the over, the flakier it
> will be. Same is true of pie crusts.
>
> When you say 'pouring up the buttermilk first', you don't mean add it
> to the flour??

No no, just measuring up ingredients...I will measure the buttermilk
first and leave it on the counter while I measure the rest of the stuff.
 Not good.
I do keep my shortening in the fridge, too.  I usually measure out all
ingredients first, then combine.  What I need to do is just put cold
stuff back in the fridge until the moment I use it.
No, I know to add the buttermilk last and stir just until mixed.

> Add the fat first and keep it as cold as possible.  Lard is best,
> butter is good, shortening works as long as you don't mind dying of a
> heart attack or stroke.

Butter is better than shortening?  I assume you don't mean margarine,
but butter?

> When the COLD fat is rice sized or smaller, then add the buttermilk a
> little at a time until it is all stuck together.  Then stop.

Rice sized.  ok.
> By the way, when I say lard is best, I don't mean the kind you buy in
> the grocery store.  It has been hydrogenated to preserve it and is
> almost as bad as shortening.

I know what you meant, I just don't have that.  I have grocery store
lard, Crisco stick shortening(both regular and butter flavor), salted
butter, and margarine.  I've been using regular Crisco.

I will be making another batch of biscuits here in a little bit, so any 
other tips you can give me will be appreciated.
My biggest problem is texture. I seem to do better if I don't roll 
anything out, but instead pat it out and then cut the biscuits.
For catheads, do you just add a bit more buttermilk to make a stickier 
dough and then drop biscuits onto the sheet?

Bev

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