Mandel Public Library Of West Palm Beach: Recipes Remembered

West Palm Beach FL

20 July, 2021

10:48 AM

Description

Press release from Mandel Public Library of West Palm Beach: 07/19/2021 4:32 PM The Story Is there anything better than Nana's cooking? It's hard to conjure to mind a warmer and more loving emotion than sitting down to eat with your grandmother. Even more than that, is there a more delicious scenario than a potluck populated by southern grandmothers? The recipe I hold closest to my heart comes from these events. My great-grandmother Minnie Sota Jones had a biscuit recipe she always prepared for Thanksgiving, Christmas, church events, and any family gatherings. I've made and re-made that same recipe countless times for my own family events as well as just for myself on lazy Saturday afternoons. Before I was inducted into the hallowed halls of family secrets, I always thought that the recipe had to include at least three hours' worth of preparation and countless ingredients. Looking back though, I have no idea why I thought Minnie would go to such great effort over a side dish. The practical southern woman, who raised seven children during the Great Depression, was not one for excess. I later learned that the truth was even farther from my initial suspicion. According to my mother, who recounted a memory from her mother, Minnie would keep a bowl of flour in the kitchen at all times with enough flour to whip up a healthy batch of biscuits. This recipe proved to be affordable enough to help pad what might have been an otherwise meager meal, and it was quick enough to whip up to keep the roving packs of rowdy children (both hers and their friends) sated when they finished up yard chores or the day's lesson at the Fieldstone schoolhouse. Had it not been for one cousin posting the recipe on their Pinterest page years ago, I would have been content to keep the recipe a family secret, much like my grandmother before me. But now that the cat's out of the bag, I figure I may as well share it with you, as it is a wonderfully easy recipe to whip up before breakfast, lunch, or dinner. The Ingredients Self-rising flour (cannot be another type of flour) Heavy whipping cream The Directions Gently mix together flour and cream until a not-too-moist dough is formed. Roll out dough on floured counter-top, cut out individual biscuits with Mason Jar lid (dipping lid into flour between biscuits helps). Place biscuits with sides touching in a greased pan. Bake at 350 degrees until the tops of the biscuits are golden brown. Enjoy! Recommended serving with sausage gravy for a hearty breakfast, or with salted butter and jam for a lighter one. What's Your Favorite Family Recipe? Have a family recipe of your own that you'd like to share? Send it in to be included in our West Palm Beach Community Cookbook! Share your ingredients, instructions, and even a favorite memory. Email recipes to [email protected] or fill out this form to have it included in our book! We're accepting recipes until August 31. A digital copy of the cookbook will be available on our library blog in October, and physical copies will be available in the 1st floor cookbook section! This press release was produced by Mandel Public Library of West Palm Beach. The views expressed here are the author's own.