Biden Buttermilk Biscuits

Friends, we have a nominee!

I know that in the midst of an international pandemic, this is a little like Shakira during J. Lo’s Super Bowl act — big in its own right, but all you want to talk about is how does she look so good at 50 years old?!?! (J. Lo, not Corona. Please, God, let us have figured out Corona long before it is 50 years old).

Anyway, now that we have a nominee, visualizing a non-Trump future starting January 2021 is that much more real. Imagine Dr. Jill championing community colleges and vocational learning. Imagine Biden listening to science and experts in the midst of future outbreaks and positioning America as a leader in the charge instead of a laggard. The man staved off Ebola. Hollerrr! Imagine Biden thoughtfully engaging international leaders, allying with other democracies instead of other strongman dictators. Imagine our first female VP! There is much to look forward to.

I understand the temptation to just see Biden as the “lesser of two evils” or “not Trump.” I will admit, Biden is more steak than sizzle, and a presidential campaign is usually waged on the sizzle more than the steak. But friends, if there’s one thing we’ve learned in the past month (or 3.5 years), it’s how much we need a good steak (metaphorically speaking).

So, rather than presenting a recipe that’s great just because it’s not a recipe for 💩, I am going to present a recipe that’s good in its own right. Reminiscent of Red Lobster’s cheddar bay biscuits, these are a treat for breakfast, lunch, or dinner, just as sane and steady leadership is a treat any time. And without further adieu, Biden Buttermilk Biscuits.

RECIPE - Tweaked from here.

INGREDIENTS

• 2 cups all-purpose flour

• ½ teaspoon coarse salt

• 3 teaspoons baking powder

• 1 teaspoon baking soda

• 4 tablespoons unsalted cold butter

• 1 small bunch of scallions

• ~4 slices bacon (or ~ 1/5 a slab, sliced vertically)

• ¾ cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese

• 1 cup buttermilk

RECIPE

Preheat oven to 450 degrees F. Lightly coat 1-2 baking sheets with vegetable oil (or use parchment paper, but we are not in the Middle Ages, so who has parchment paper always lying around??).

Prepare to crisp your bacon. I don’t know about you, but I like really crispy bacon and hate having grease everywhere. To achieve both goals, I follow a trick my mom uses and line a plate with paper towels (2 layers below and 2 above) and put the bacon in small slices in between.

The bacon is shrouded in mystery, just like our future nominee for VP.

Put plate of bacon in the microwave for 2 minutes. Check what it looks like. Add 90 seconds. Check what it looks like. Add another 60 or 30 seconds, checking each time to make sure you don’t burn the bacon (so sad). When it’s done to your liking, remove. All the grease will be in the paper towels, which you can discard. Dice the crisp bacon to the size you desire.

In a medium bowl, combine flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Dice butter into small cubes so that they can easily be rubbed and incorporated into the dough.

Small butters make for tasty biscuits

Rub ingredients together with your fingers until the butter is incorporated and the mixture is crumbly. Stir in scallions, bacon, and cheese. Pour in buttermilk and stir gently with a fork just until the moisture is incorporated. Do not over mix! A few dry spots are okay. Scoop batter onto prepared sheets so that you have ~8 biscuits.

So much raw potential, just like America with a capable leader.

Bake in preheated oven 8-10 minutes, until biscuits are puffed and golden brown. Serve immediately with salted butter.

Leftovers will keep covered at room temperature for 1-2 days, and will be better if you reheat them. But the best taste is right out of the oven, so don’t feel guilty if you eat them all in one sitting. You’re just optimizing for flavor.

I may or may not have eaten this entire plate of biscuits in one sitting.

Please, please let us have free and fair elections this November, and please let Biden win!