the homemade biscuits

Last night I went to Tricia's and we made homemade pasta. It's definitely a technique that is learned through experience. Watching how she added the flour into the egg is definitely a "feel" technique. No cookbook or tv show can explain how the dough should feel. But standing there asking Tricia if my dough was "ready" and her pulling on it, telling me no, was the best way I could learn.

We turned it into raviolis. They were delicious. And they were served in a homemade Alfredo sauce which was also delicious.

I dreamed of making pasta.

Then, tonight for dinner, I made biscuits and sausage gravy.

I have enjoyed biscuits and sausage gravy since I first had it at camp. Yes, even though we had a nutritionist we still had the best biscuits and gravy.

Then, when we lived in Southgate after we were first married and I worked at the Hallmark store, I learned how easy sausage gravy was.

Would you like to know? I'll share because I like sharing. Cook the pork sausage until you can't see anymore pink. Add flour and milk slowly until you get enough gravy and it's as thick as you want. Add salt and pepper to taste.

When I found out it was that easy I couldn't believe it.

My next challenge was the biscuits. Sure, you can buy a package of refrigerated biscuits, pop it open and pop them in the oven. But those are missing something. The best biscuits I've ever had were in Savannah. Even McDonald's biscuits were divine (rumor has it that they still make theirs from scratch, with lard, I cannot verify that, but I believe it).

I've tried to make biscuits half as good. From scratch. With buttermilk. With whole milk. With whole wheat. None have really turned out.

Today, on a whim I decided to try cake flour. Why? Because I had some in the cupboard. It seemed like the right thing to do. When the right thing to do pops into your mind, you should not ignore it. Especially when it comes to cooking. Follow the right thing.

Then, when I added the buttermilk, I mixed it in like we mixed the pasta dough last night.

I kneaded it just a couple of times (it was super sticky) like the cookbook instructed me to, rolled it out nice and thick, and cut out my biscuits. They went in the oven for twelve minutes.

They came out perfect.

They are flaky.

They are light.

They are golden.

They are delicious.

I jumped up and down.

I made Bill get the camera and take pictures. I conquered biscuits!