Time to Make the Biscuits

Nanny kept a wooden bisquit bowl under the counter. It had flour in it and was covered with a floursack. When she made bisquits, she would add flour from a sack. She then made a hole in the middle, put in a handful of shortening (lard in the old days), and added some milk. She melded the mixture of milk and shortening with her hand until it was just the right consistency. She then started to spin the mixture around, picking up the flour from the sides and bottom of the bowl until there was this perfect bisquit dough. No bisquit cutters used by her - she then would knead it and when it was just right, she pinched off a piece and rolled it around in her hands until it was a nice ball. The perfect little ball of dough was then placed on a greased "bisquit pan" and smooshed down with the knuckles of her hand. Every bisquit she made literally had her handprint on it.

I was just tall enough to stand at her right hand and watch curiously as she magically made these perfect bisquits appear. She would give me small bits of the leftover dough and I would make tiny bisquits and bake them in the summer sun on large rocks in the yard - I was in such a big hurry to grow up, wish I had more of those days now.

Pillow Made from a Vintage Floursack

This pillow and more can be seen in my shop - http://www.catnapcottage.net/