Celebrate and Savor the Iconic Southern Biscuit

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Sep 21, 2012, 12:31 ET

MEMPHIS, Tenn., Sept. 21, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Celebrate the iconic Southern biscuit – September is National Biscuit Month! This food holiday reminds us all to cherish those special times we spend in the kitchen together over warm biscuits, like learning how to bake them with your favorite baker, teaching others or sharing memorable meals and moments with family and friends.

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In honor of National Biscuit Month, White Lily® flour is encouraging bakers to "Save the Biscuit." Thanks to today's on-the-go culture, making homemade biscuits is almost a lost art form. Preserve biscuit-baking for future generations by learning, teaching and sharing your love for biscuits. White Lily has a strong Southern heritage, and remains an integral part of Southern cooking and baking.

"Some of my fondest memories from childhood are learning how to bake, and the biscuit recipe was one of the most important to learn," said baking expert Linda Carman. "Making biscuits was a part of daily life. Nowadays, there seems to be a misconception that making biscuits is difficult and time-consuming, but if you learn a few simple tricks, you'll be a pro in no time at all."

How can you "Save the Biscuit?" Learn new biscuit tips and recipes, teach them to someone else, and of course, share your biscuit goodness with others. These three easy steps will ensure the homemade biscuit is a staple for future generations.

Learn. Interested in learning how to bake the perfect biscuit or looking for new ideas? Visit www.whitelily.com to watch a step-by-step instructional video, which includes tips and tricks to make delicious biscuits. Or call up a favorite baker in your life who has perfected the technique. Ask them to share their secrets or schedule some time in the kitchen together.

Part of making a perfect biscuit is flour selection. "Using 100 percent soft wheat White Lily flour is excellent for making light and fluffy biscuits at home," said Carman. "Because soft winter wheat has a lower protein content, White Lily flour makes soft, tender biscuits every time." The tried-and-true recipe for White Lily Light and Fluffy Biscuits has a very short ingredient list. Self-rising flour provides just the right amounts of leavening and salt to give your biscuits perfect lift and flavor. And remember, if you prefer flaky biscuits, cut the shortening into small peas; for cake-like biscuits, cut shortening to fine crumbs.

Teach. Teaching others these skills is invaluable. Gain special memories with family and friends in the kitchen while preserving the heritage of this quintessential food. Have you taught your children, nieces or nephews what you've learned over the years? Instill in them the tradition of baking biscuits that they can pass along to for generations to come.

Share: There's nothing quite like a hot biscuit, lightly brown on top with a fluffy center. It's even better when shared with neighbors, co-workers and family. Share your perfect biscuit recipes, tips and favorite baking memories with friends and family or online.

Join White Lily and help "Save the Biscuit." Celebrate National Biscuit Month by learning, teaching and sharing the art of biscuit making. Visit www.whitelily.com for more recipes and baking tips.

White Lily Light and Fluffy Biscuits

Crisco® Original No-Stick Cooking Spray
2 cups White Lily® Enriched Bleached Self-Rising Flour or 2 cups White Lily Enriched Unbleached Self-Rising Flour
1/4 cup Crisco All-Vegetable Shortening, chilled or 1/4 stick Crisco Baking Sticks All-Vegetable Shortening, chilled
2/3 to 3/4 cups buttermilk or milk

HEAT oven to 500 degrees F. Coat baking sheet with no-stick cooking spray.
MEASURE flour into large bowl. Cut in shortening with pastry blender or 2 knives until crumbs are the size of peas. Blend in just enough milk with fork until dough leaves sides of bowl.
TURN dough onto lightly floured surface. Knead gently 2 to 3 times. Roll dough to 1/2-inch thickness. Cut using floured 2-inch biscuit cutter. Place on prepared baking sheet 1 inch apart for crisp sides or almost touching for soft sides.
BAKE 8 to 10 minutes or until golden brown.

Makes 12 biscuits