Well Butter My Biscuit--It's Vintage Recipe Friday!

A proper Victorian woman knew biscuit-making like she knew how to accessorize a hat.

My vintage biscuit recipe is simply a very old family recipe for basic buttermilk biscuits with ingredients that probably already live in your pantry. 

The one rule of thumb to remember is, do not over-work the dough and you will have a light, fluffy, savory biscuit for any meal, any time. Now, when it comes to hats, feel free to over-work the accessories! I personally would love a new summer hat filled with flowers! Too fun.

Vintage Buttermilk Biscuits

Preheat oven to 450 degrees

Makes about a dozen biscuits

INGREDIENTS

2 cups flour

1 tablespoon baking powder

1 tablespoon baking soda

1 tablespoon white sugar

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup cold, unsalted butter chopped up

1 cup buttermilk

2 tablespoons heavy cream

INSTRUCTIONS

Sift the dry ingredients into a large bowl. Work in the cold butter until mixture resembles meal. Make a well in the center and pour in the buttermilk, stirring until a ball forms. Knead on a floured surface, gently, until the dough is formed and pat into a round about 1-inch thick. Use a floured, 2-inch round biscuit cutter to cut out biscuit rounds and place on a lightly greased baking sheet . Brush the tops with the cream and bake for around ten minutes or until golden.

Add a cup of shredded sharp cheddar cheese for a delectable dinner biscuit! Happy Friday!

Vintage Recipe Friday--Coffee and Custard

 

Respect me...respect my coffee! Imagine my shock, when doing a little vintage recipe research, at finding out that "back in the day" some husbands thought that the average woman, inattentive wife, and drugstore waitress, couldn't manage to make a good cup of coffee! This train of thought, apparently, had been going on for hundreds of years-- from a page out of the 1949 Esquire Men's Entertainment Cookbook. Not exactly PC anymore...were 1940's men even buying recipe books?

Coffee used to be a lot more complicated, I'll admit it. So it's not totally shocking that it fell under the spell of olden-day male chauvinism. Thank goodness for coffeemakers is all I can say. 

The next thing to master? A fabulous custard! 

This custard recipe is also from the 1940's, and I can't wait to make it in some cutey cute little custard dishes I found on sale. I am a custard novice, so I'm excited to try it! It only has five ingredients--but several steps. I love the variations too. It looks super yummy! Enjoy!

Make some fresh custard, hot coffee, and knit yourself happy!

Vintage Recipe Friday--A Brunch Bake and Take

Once upon a time, a vintage bride needed to have a stocked pantry and a repertoire of tried and true recipes to feel accomplished--including a reliable Brunch Bake.

Today's Vintage Recipe Friday feature is a truly old-fashioned brunch bake. This is a recipe that is meant to be made the night before and refrigerated (just remember to pick up an extra dozen eggs at the store). That way, the next morning, you can slide it into the oven for 25 to 30 minutes and enjoy your coffee, because the meal is made.  It also makes it easy to take to a covered dish brunch. If you have weekend guests--add a fruit salad, juice and muffins to the menu for a brunch that will make you feel as accomplished as a vintage bride!

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Bacon and Egg Brunch Bake

1/2 cup butter (divided)

2 tablespoons flour

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/8 teaspoon pepper

12 eggs beaten

1 1/2 cups soft breadcrumbs

2 cups milk

1 cup shredded cheese

1 cup cooked and crumbled bacon (may substitute cooked and cubed ham)

1/4 cup sliced green onions

1 can sliced mushrooms

Melt the butter and add flour, salt and pepper. Cook and stir over medium heat until it bubbles. Gradually stir in milk, cooking until thickened and bubbly, stirring constantly. Remove from heat. Mix in cheese and set aside. Saute onions in 3 tablespoons butter in a large skillet. Add eggs, cook and stir until they begin to set. Add bacon, mushrooms and cheese sauce. Mix well. Pour into a greased 11X17X2-inch baking dish. Melt remaining butter, toss with breadcrumbs and sprinkle on top of casserole. Refrigerate for 2 to 3 hours, or overnight. Bake uncovered at 350 degrees for 25 to 30 minutes.

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I love this dining table in the adorable Bed and Breakfast where we spent       
our honeymoon and even our 20th anniversary!

I don't know what it is about baking in the morning--but having yummy things come out of the oven makes the kitchen feel cozy and inviting. A nice brunch gets you fueled up for a busy day!

"Ah! There is nothing like staying at home, fo real comfort."

--Jane Austen