Biscuits and butter

I am a girl raised in the South.  My roots run deep and my love for the comforting classic Southern foods runs rampant.  My Mother was never a biscuit maker and I don't remember her Mother, my Grandmother, making any.  Yet I long for the crumbly, soft and light biscuits that can be slathered in gravy, stuffed with delights from pepper crusted bacon to salty country ham.  Nothing delights more than a simple biscuit with butter...

My offering today is a simple, elegant and tasty Southern biscuit.

Baking Powder Biscuits
Source: Julia Child, Julia’s Kitchen Wisdom

1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1/2 cup cake flour
1 2/3 tbsp baking powder
3/4 tsp salt
1 tbsp sugar
3/4 cup vegetable shortening
1 cup milk

Whisk together dry ingredients.

Use a pastry knife (or two knives) to cut in vegetable shortening. Blend until the texture is similar to cornmeal.  With a wooden spoon, stir in milk. Dump out onto a floured surface and fold in half 6 times over. Spread with your hands until it is 3/4″ deep.  Use a biscuit cutter to cut 10-12 biscuits. Place on a piece of parchment paper and bake at 425 for 10-12 minutes.