MARYLAND BEATEN BISCUITS - BONITA'S WAY
These take love of a very different kind!
First, I must get to the kitchen three hours before any other staff. That is 2 o’clock in the morning, every morning. Nobody else should be there unless they are helping you, and usually they don’t. Except Miss Penny. She always says helps me because I teach her my home language. The rest of the staff gets here at 5 o’clock and Mister Rollings opens the tavern at 6 o’clock.
Ingredients for one batch. I always make 5 batches all at once together: 7 cups flour, . ¾ cup lard (butter or shortening are good too), ½ tablespoon salt, ½ tablespoon sugar, ½ teaspoon baking powder, 1 ½ cups water.
Mix ingredients together to make a good dough. Put cotton in your ears. You must beat the dough at least until the dough blisters and at least 45 minutes after that. For best quality, use a heavy hammer. Now you know why no one but Miss Penny helps me.
Form into biscuits and prick the tops with a fork. Bake 20 to 25 minutes in a very hot oven, at least 475 degrees.
While baking, find the sherry you’ve been hiding. You will need some.
Grace and Love,
Bonita