weekend in...

... Tennessee, sleeping in a house surrounded by street lights. So it is never completely dark at night. I am accustomed to sleeping in a room that is much less lit by ambient light, though we do have a neighbor who leaves flood lights on all day and all night. I don't think they ever turn off, so we should be thankful we do not pay her power bill! Not many street lights shining in my bedroom windows,but with that thoughtless neighbor who is apparently somewhat paranoid, who needs city lighting?

'Someone' got up this morning and produced home-made biscuits. She said she is perfecting her skills. After having found a recipe on the Internet that is as simple as the one I have been promoting as the world's best/easiest for years. The amazing biscuit I had this morning has three ingredients: self-rising flour, cold butter and cold buttermilk. Remarkably easy to make. They are so light and fluffy! I observed the masterpiece in progress: discovered you just pat it out on a floured surface, and fold it over. Pat and refold, do it again, then put the cut out circles of dough in a very hot skillet in a very hot oven. Oh, yum!

The one found in the magazine by the southern cooking guru Paula Deen, has three ingredients: what could possibly be easier? Two cups of self-rising flour, a cup and a half of  (cholesterol laden, artery clogging) heavy cream and a tablespoon of butter. I will never go back to the complicated recipe of yeast and buttermilk again. Several years ago, I lost my mind, and made a double batch of strawberry jam to give away for Christmas, and included a card with the biscuit recipe. I don't know if any of the recipients actually made the quick bread, but think they would have come out even with the little half-pint jars of jam. It is always a little distressing when you are eating something as wonderful as biscuits and jelly or homemade rolls and gravy and discover one runs out before the other - in a perfect world the bread and topping will always end in unison.