Good Eats (1999–2012): Season 1, Episode 7 - The Dough Also Rises - full transcript
LIKE GREAT CULTURAL TECTONIC
PLATES FOREVER HELD IN CHECK...
FACTORY VERSUS PLANTATION,
YANKEE INGENUITY VERSUS
SOUTHERN HOSPITALITY,
LEONARD BERSTEIN VERSUS
LYNYRD SKYNYRD--
EVERYTHING SYMMETRICALLY
BALANCED.
UNTIL IT COMES TO BISCUITS.
SEE, THE NORTHERN BISCUIT HAS A
DISTINCTLY NAUTICAL HERITAGE.
THE WORD BISCUIT AFTER ALL,
IS FROM A OLD FRENCH PHRASE,
BIS CUIT--IT MEANS TWICE BAKED,
AND REFERS TO THE METHOD
THAT WAS NECESSARY TO KEEP
OCEAN-GOING SAILOR WAFERS
FROM GOING STALE AT SEA.
THESE WERE NUTRITIOUS
LITTLE GUT BOMBS,
BUT THEY HAD THE
TEXTURE OF A ROCK,
AND ONLY HALF THE FLAVOR.
NOW SOUTHERN BISCUITS,
ON THE OTHER HAND,
HAIL DIRECTLY FROM
ENGLISH SCONES.
AND THEY ARE SO
LIGHT, SO FLUFFY,
SO JUST DOWN-AND-OUT DELICIOUS,
THAT I WOULDN'T BE SURPRISED
IF SHERMAN MARCH TO
THE SEA WAS NOTHING MORE
THAN A BISCUIT RUN, RUN AMUCK.
OR MAYBE HE JUST
DIDN'T LIKE BANJOS.
NAH.
THE SOUTHERN BISCUIT IS MUCH
MORE THAN MERE SOCIAL ICON.
THE CUCKOO ATTAINS BISCUITHOOD,
WELL, THEY RECEIVED THE
KEYS TO QUICK BREAD CITY.
DUMPLINGS, SCONES,
SODA BREAD, SHORTCAKE,
ALL FALL WITHIN EASY GRASP.
IN SHORT...
THE BISCUIT IS
A POWERFUL TOOL,
NOT TO MENTION
SERIOUSLY "GOOD EATS."
♪
MAKING BISCUITS IS LIKE
PLAYING ROCK-'N'-ROLL...
YOU ONLY NEED THREE CORDS
AND A LOT OF VOLUME.
NOW THE BISCUIT CORDS ARE
FLOUR, FAT AND MOISTURE.
NOW FIRST THE FLOUR... AMONG
WHEAT FLOURS ALONE WE'VE GOT,
WELL, THERE'S ALL-PURPOSE FLOUR,
THERE'S SELF-RISING FLOUR,
WE'VE GOT BREAD FLOUR,
UNBLEACHED, ALL-PURPOSE FLOUR.
LET'S SEE, THEN
THERE'S CAKE FLOUR
AND DOZENS OF OTHERS.
NOW WITH THE EXCEPTION
OF THE SELF-RISING,
WHICH CONTAINS
CHEMICAL LEAVENERS,
THE MAIN DIFFERENCE
BETWEEN ALL THESE FLOURS
IS MOSTLY PROTEIN CONTENT.
AND THAT DEPENDS A
GREAT DEAL ON WHEAT.
NOW ABOUT 75 PERCENT OF
THE WHEAT GROWN IN AMERICA
IS HARD WHEAT, MEANING THAT
IT'S HIGH IN PROTEIN.
NOW FLOUR MADE FROM
THIS KIND OF WHEAT
IS OFTEN MARKETED
AS BREAD FLOUR,
BECAUSE IT FORMS THE
KIND OF PLASTIC STRUCTURE
THAT FRENCH BAGUETTES AND CRUSTY
SOUR DOUGH ROLLS DEPEND ON.
SOFT WHEAT, BECAUSE IT
CONTAINS LESS PROTEIN,
IS MORE SUITED FOR
SOFTER BAKING GOODS,
LIKE CAKES, PASTRIES
AND BISCUITS.
THESE KIND OF SOFT FLOURS ARE
TRADITIONAL IN SOUTHERN BAKING,
BECAUSE BEFORE MODERN
TRANSPORTATION,
THAT'S WHAT THEY HAD.
NOW JUST AS SOME TRADITIONAL
NORTHERN HARD FLOURS
HAVE BECOME AVAILABLE IN THE
SOUTH, SOME SOUTHERN FLOURS,
OFTEN LABELED AS
BETTER FOR BISCUITS,
ARE STARTING TO SHOW UP
ON NORTHERN SHELVES.
ALL-PURPOSE FLOUR,
BY THE WAY,
IS USUALLY A MIXTURE OF
HARD AND SOFT FLOURS.
AP, AS IT'S CALLED, IS FINE
FOR MOST BAKING CHORES,
BUT JUST AS YOU'LL NEVER MAKE
A GREAT BAGUETTE WITH IT,
BISCUITS, TOO, WILL ELUDE YOU.
NOW IN A PINCH, YOU CAN CONCOCT
YOUR OWN BISCUIT FLOUR
BY MIXING THREE PARTS
OF ALL-PURPOSE FLOUR
WITH ONE PART OF CAKE FLOUR.
IT'LL GET YOU CLOSE.
NOTHIN' LIKE LARD FOR A
FLAKY PIE CRUST, HUH?
OH, THIS, THIS ISN'T
FOR ME, NO, NO.
I WOULD NEVER
COOK WITH THIS.
THIS IS FOR...
ONE OF THOSE
CONTESTS WITH THE GREASED WATERMELON.
THE GREASY WATERMELON
CONTEST. YEAH, GREASED WATERMELON.
GOT IT!
WHETHER FAT PHOBICS
LIKE IT OR NOT,
FAT, ESPECIALLY FATS THAT ARE
SOLID AT ROOM TEMPERATURE,
PLAY A CRUCIAL ROLE IN THE
TEXTURE OF BAKED GOODS.
NOW TAKE THIS
VEGETABLE SHORTENING...
NOT ONLY WILL IT TENDERIZE
AND MOISTEN OUR BISCUITS
BY SURROUNDING THE
STARCH GRANULES,
EVEN A VERY SMALL
AMOUNT WILL CREATE
A DRAMATIC INCREASE
IN DOUGH VOLUME.
NOW ANY SOLID FAT CAN
BE USED IN BISCUITS.
BUTTER LENDS GREAT TASTE
BUT IFFY TEXTURE,
WHILE LARD PRODUCES
A VERY TENDER CRUMB,
BUT HAS A TOUCH OF GAMINESS.
VEGETABLE SHORTENING
IS NEUTRAL IN FLAVOR,
PRODUCES A LIGHT TEXTURE,
HAS A LONG SHELF LIFE,
AND IS EASY TO WORK WITH.
NOW I LIKE TO USE
SHORTENING FOR TEXTURE,
ALONG WITH A LITTLE BIT OF
BUTTER, JUST FOR FLAVOR.
♪
TO BRING THE OTHER
INGREDIENTS TOGETHER
AND SUPPLY THE MOISTURE
NEEDED FOR A GOOD RISE,
THE LAST OF THE BISCUIT
POWER CORDS IS LIQUID,
USUALLY IN THE FORM OF MILK,
CREAM OR BETTER YET, BUTTERMILK.
NOW I ACCIDENTALLY PUT SOME
OF THIS STUFF IN MY CEREAL
WHEN I WAS ABOUT THREE,
AND I GOT TO TELL YA,
I NEVER GOT OVER IT.
BUT WHEN IT COMES TO BISCUITS,
THERE'S JUST NO SUBSTITUTING
THE SOUR TWANG OF BUTTERMILK.
EITHER LOW FAT OR FAT
FREE WILL DO FINE.
AND SINCE IT'S BASICALLY
SPOILED ALREADY,
IT KEEPS FOR A LONG
TIME IN THE FRIDGE.
JUST DON'T CONFUSE IT WITH
SKIM, COME SATURDAY MORNING.
HERE AT "GOOD EATS," WE
MAKE A HABIT OF TRAFFICKING
IN CULTURAL ICONS.
AND WHAT COULD BE MORE
CULTURALLY ICONOCLASTIC THAN...
THE AMERICAN GRANDMOTHER.
THAT'S RIGHT, AND THIS IS
NOT A TV GRANDMOTHER,
THIS IS MY REAL GRANDMOTHER--
I CALL HER MA MAE.
HEY MA MAE, DID YOU GET
THOSE WEIGHTS MOVED UP TO THE ATTIC?
YOU'RE AS MEAN
AS A SNAKE.
THIS IS GONNA BE GREAT.
MA MAE FED ME MY FIRST
BISCUIT BACK WHEN I WAS ABOUT YEA TALL.
AND I'VE BEEN STUDYING HOW
TO MAKE THEM AT HER KNEE,
LIKE LUKE SKYWALKER
AT YODA'S PLACE,
FOR DECADES NOW.
SO THE FIRST STEP
TO MAKING BISCUITS
IS TO PREHEAT THE OVEN
TO 400 DEGREES, RIGHT?
FOUR-SEVENTY-FIVE.
FOUR-SEVENTY-FIVE,
I SAY 400.
NEXT WE MAKE BISCUITS.
♪
THE BATTLE LINE
HAS BEEN DRAWN,
WE ARE AT BATTLEGROUND
BISCUIT.
NOW ALTHOUGH MA MAE
HERE, TAUGHT ME HOW TO MAKE BISCUITS,
AND EVERY BISCUIT
THAT I'VE EVER HAD
HAS BASICALLY TRIED
TO LIVE UP TO HERS,
OVER THE YEARS
MY METHODOLOGY
HAS DEFIANTLY
SPREAD INTO A DIFFERENT DIRECTION,
ESPECIALLY WHEN IT
COMES TO MEASURING,
AND MEASURING IS REALLY
KIND OF THE FIRST PLACE
THAT YOU CAN GO
WRONG IN BISCUITING.
NOW WHEN YOU'VE
MADE BISCUITS FOR LIKE, 175 YEARS,
LIKE MA MAE HAS,
THEN YOU KNOW WHAT
THINGS SHOULD LOOK LIKE,
AND FEEL LIKE.
BUT FOR THE BEGINNING
BISCUITMAKER, AND EVEN FOR ME,
I STILL MEASURE
EVERYTHING.
SO WE HAVE THE
DIFFERENCES IN METHODOLOGY HERE,
MA MAE USING ARTIFACTS
FOUND IN BURIAL GROUNDS
FROM, LIKE, THE
FIFTH CENTURY... WHAT IS THAT?
THAT IS A BISCUIT
CUTTER.
THAT'S NOT ORIGINAL
MATERIAL, THERE?
WELL, THEY BROUGHT THAT
OVER ON THE MAYFLOWER.
GOOD TO KNOW YOU'VE
STILL GOT A SENSE OF HUMOR ABOUT THAT.
OKAY, SO WE'RE BOTH
GONNA BE STARTING
WITH A SOFT, WINTER
WHEAT FLOUR.
WE'RE NOT GONNA
NAME BRANDS, BUT...
MA MAE PREFERS TO USE
SELF-RISING FLOUR
THAT ALREADY HAS THE
LEAVENING INGREDIENTS ADDED IN.
I HAVE TO ADMIT, I VERY
OFTEN USE IT AS WELL,
BUT FOR THE SAKE
OF ARGUMENT,
I'M GONNA BE USING
ALL-PURPOSE FLOUR TODAY.
AND I'M GONNA ADD THE
BAKING POWDER AND THE BAKING SODA SEPARATELY.
AND WE'RE GONNA COME
BACK TO MORE OF THOSE LATER.
YOU READY TO START?
READY TO START.
OKAY, WE'RE GONNA
START WITH PHASE ONE, MEASURING...
I DO IT, SHE
DOESN'T, HERE WE GO.
SHE'LL BE SPOONING
OUT HER FLOUR,
WHILE I WILL BE
PRECISELY MEASURING MY INGREDIENTS.
I USE A DIGITAL SCALE
THAT HAS WHAT'S CALLED A TARE WEIGHT ON IT,
WHICH MEANS I CAN
SLAP A BOWL ON THERE
AND THEN BASICALLY
SUBTRACT THE WEIGHT OF THE BOWL.
NOW MA MAE GOES WITH
TWO CUPS OF FLOUR,
AND I BASICALLY DO
TOO, ONLY MY TWO CUPS OF FLOUR
GENERALLY WEIGHS OUT
TO ABOUT TEN OUNCES.
YOU'LL ALSO NOTICE THAT
SHE SIFTS HER FLOUR... WHY DO YOU DO THAT?
MAKE IT LIGHTER.
SHE SAYS IT MAKES it LIGHTER.
I'M NOT SO SURE, WE'LL
HAVE TO BE THE JUDGE LATER ON.
I'VE GOT TEN OUNCES
OF FLOUR,
AND I SUSPECT THAT
BECAUSE SHE SIFTS HER FLOUR,
SHE'S PROBABLY USING A
LITTLE LESS THAN I AM,
BECAUSE THE GRAINS IN
HER FLOUR ARE GONNA
KIND OF BE LIFTED
AWAY FROM EACH OTHER,
WHILE MINE ARE
MORE COMPACT.
OKAY, I'M GONNA
GO AHEAD
AND ADD FOUR TEASPOONS
OF BAKING POWDER,
WHICH IS THE SAME AS
ONE TEASPOON PLUS ONE TABLESPOON.
NOW BAKING POWDER IS
INTERESTING STUFF, BECAUSE IT'S BALANCED.
IT HOLDS BOTH
ACID AND ALKAINE,
SO IT CAN RISE
ALL BY ITSELF,
WITHOUT ANY OTHER
CHEMICAL AGENTS.
AND I'M GONNA ADD ABOUT
A QUARTER TEASPOON OF BAKING SODA--
A TINY, TINY,
LITTLE AMOUNT.
IT'S GONNA GIVE US A
LITTLE BIT BETTER OF A RISE,
ESPECIALLY WITH THE ACID
THAT'S IN THE BUTTERMILK WE'RE USING.
BUT THE REASON I ALSO
USE A VERY SMALL AMOUNT
IS THAT IT WILL FLAVOR
THINGS--IT'S GOT A LOT OF SODIUM IN IT--
AND IF YOU USE A LOT
YOU'LL TASTE IT.
YOU HAVIN' A HARD TIME
WITH THAT THING THERE? UH-HUM.
OKAY, SO WE'RE DONE
WITH THE MEASURING PART, THE DRY STUFF. YES.
OKAY, SO YOU'RE
READY TO GO.
GIVE ME A SECOND,
LET ME STIR THIS UP.
OH, SALT...
HER FLOUR ALREADY
HAS SALT WORKED INTO IT,
AND YOU'VE GOT TO
HAVE SALT FOR ANY KIND OF BREAD,
OR IT JUST TASTES...
I DON'T KNOW, WHAT DOES IT TASTE LIKE
WHEN YOU DON'T HAVE
ANY SALT IN IT? IT'S JUST FLAT.
FLAT, DEAD, FLAT.
SO I'M GONNA ADD ABOUT--
THAT'S ABOUT A
TEASPOON OF SALT.
YOU DON'T HAVE TO
USE KOSHER SALT,
BUT IT'S PRETTY MUCH
THE ONLY KIND I USE.
NOW MA MAE HAS MOVED
ON, PULLING IN FRONT
INTO THE CUTTING
IN OF THE FAT.
AGAIN, RENEGADE THAT
SHE IS, NO MEASURING,
JUST DIVING
RIGHT IN THERE.
AND SHE'S GONNA CUT
IT IN... WHY DO YOU USE A SPOON?
I GUESS BECAUSE
I LIKE TO.
WELL, YOUR MOM
DIDN'T USE A SPOON, I KNOW, I REMEMBER. NO, SHE USED HER HANDS.
MY GREAT-GRANDMOTHER
USED HER HANDS.
IT WAS GOOD ENOUGH
FOR HER, IT'S GOOD ENOUGH FOR ME...
YOU JUST--IT'S ALL
THAT FANCY JEWELRY YOU'RE WEARING,
I SUSPECT.
SURE, THAT'S IT.
I'M GONNA WEIGH MINE, AND WHAT I LIKE TO DO
IS I LIKE TO HAVE
MY FAT COLD WHEN I CUT IT IN.
SO WHAT I'M GONNA DO
IS I'M GONNA GO AHEAD
AND MEASURE OUT
MY BUTTERMILK,
AND I LIKE TO USE A
CUP OF BUTTERMILK.
AND SINCE A PINT IS
A POUND, THE WORLD AROUND,
EIGHT OUNCES
FLUID MEASURE
EQUALS EIGHT
OUNCES OF WEIGHT.
SO I CAN JUST LOOK
AT MY SCALE AND I'VE GOT EIGHT OUNCES,
WHICH IS THE
SAME AS A CUP.
AND I'M GONNA PUT
IN TWO OUNCES,
ACTUALLY, MORE LIKE
AN OUNCE OF BUTTER,
AND I'M JUST GONNA ADD
IT STRAIGHT TO THIS UNTIL I GET ONE OUNCE.
I'M GONNA HIT THE
TARE WEIGHT AGAIN.
SHE'S ALREADY
SMOKIN' ME.
SLOW DOWN, YOU
MAKE ME LOOK BAD!
HOW OLD'S THAT BOWL?
THAT'S THE ONLY ONE
I HAVE EVER SEEN YOU MAKE BISCUITS IN.
WELL, THAT'S OLDER
THAN YOU ARE. A LOT OF THINGS ARE.
THANK GOODNESS
THAT WE'RE STILL AT THAT POINT.
I'M GONNA ADD ALSO TWO
OUNCES OF SHORTENING.
SHE LIKES ALL
SHORTENING,
I LIKE TO USE A
LITTLE BIT OF BOTH.
SHORTENING'S GONNA
GIVE YOU A BETTER TEXTURE, RIGHT?
RIGHT.
IT'S JUST LIGHTER, KIND OF THING.
NOW YOU REMEMBER
USING LARD FOR BISCUITS, DON'T YOU?
YES, IN MY EARLY
YEARS OF LIFE,
I DID USE LARD.
LIKE AROUND THE TIME
OF "GONE WITH THE WIND"?
I LIKE TO USE
A COMBINATION.
YOU'RE GONNA GET
A TENDER TOOTH,
A TENDER CRUMB, OUT
OF THE BISCUIT FROM SHORTENING.
YOU'RE GONNA GET A
LITTLE BIT OF FLAVOR IF YOU USE BUTTER.
YOU DON'T WAIT ON
ME, YOU KEEP GOING, I'LL CATCH UP.
NOW WHERE SHE CUTS HERS
IN WITH A SPOON, I LIKE TO USE MY FINGERS.
BUT WHEN YOU DO THIS,
TRY TO USE JUST YOUR FINGERTIPS.
I KNOW IT LOOKS MESSY,
BUT DON'T WORRY.
AND JUST KIND OF
WORK IT IN.
WHAT WE'RE WANTING IS
SOMETHING THAT LOOKS KIND OF LIKE CORNMEAL,
SO JUST BREAK IT UP
AND WORK IT IN.
THIS IS A LOT MORE
FUN THAN HER METHOD.
ALL RIGHT, SHE'S ALREADY
GOING ON THE BUTTERMILK.
HOW MUCH DO YOU
THINK YOU USE?
I NEVER MEASURE IT, I
JUST PUT IN THERE WHAT I THINK IT NEEDS,
AND STIR IT 'TIL
IT'S DONE.
SHE AND I BOTH LIKE
A VERY LOOSE DOUGH.
ONE OF THE GREAT
SECRETS, WHAT SHE'S TAUGHT ME
IS THE SECRET, REALLY,
TO BISCUIT MAKING
IS A VERY, VERY
WET DOUGH
THAT YOU DON'T WORK
VERY MUCH, RIGHT? RIGHT.
JUST STIR IT UNTIL IT
COMES TOGETHER INTO A STICKY MASS.
IF IT LOOKS STICKY
AND NASTY, YOU'RE GOING THE RIGHT WAY.
SHE LIKES TO DO THIS
ON PARCHMENT PAPER,
WHICH MAKES FOR A
SLIGHTLY NEATER KITCHEN.
I DON'T REALLY GET TOO
WORKED UP ABOUT THAT.
NOW THAT I'VE GOT
THE FAT WORKED IN,
IT JUST LOOKS CRUMBY, IT
KIND OF LOOKS LIKE BREADCRUMBS, ALMOST.
I'M GONNA MAKE A WELL
RIGHT IN THE MIDDLE,
AND I'M GONNA ADD
MY BUTTERMILK.
I LOST MY SPOON,
MA MAE, CAN I USE YOURS?
CAN I USE YOUR
SACRED SPOON? YOU MAKE FUN OF MY SPOON.
IT'S A WONDERFUL
SPOON,
WEIGHTED PERFECTLY
FOR BISCUIT MAKING.
OH, SHE'S AHEAD
OF ME ALREADY,
THIS IS LOOKIN'
PRETTY BAD FOR ME.
YOU SEE HOW GENTLY
SHE'S WORKIN' IT.
THESE ARE THE HANDS OF
A MASTER RIGHT HERE.
YOU DON'T SEE THIS KIND
OF BISCUIT MAKING MUCH IN AMERICA ANYMORE.
BARELY PATTING IT OUT,
NO ROLLING NECESSARY.
CAN I PUT YOUR SPOON
IN THE SINK? YES.
IF YOU WANT TO WASH
A ROLLING PIN, YOU CAN ROLL IT OUT.
ROLLING PINS JUST
AREN'T MY CUP OF TEA.
GONNA ROLL OUT ENOUGH
FLOUR TO KEEP IT FROM STICKIN' ON THE BOARD,
AND THEN JUST TURN
OUT THE WHOLE THING.
OH, SHE'S GONE
FOR HER PAN,
HER SPECIAL
BISCUIT PAN,
CIRCA 1853,
ULYSSES S. GRANT!
I DON'T EVEN KNOW WHERE
I PUT MY BISCUIT PAN.
I'VE GOT TO RUN FOR
A BISCUIT PAN.
LIKE MANY OF OUR
FAVORITE KITCHEN TOOLS,
YOU PROBABLY WON'T FIND THE
IDEAL BISCUIT PAN AT THE MALL.
BUT IF YOUR TOWN HAS MORE
THAN THREE RESTAURANTS,
THERE'S PROBABLY A
RESTAURANT SUPPLY STORE
THAT'S OPEN TO THE PUBLIC.
AND THAT'S WHERE I PROMISE
YOU WILL FIND SHEET PANS,
STANDARD ISSUE FOR THE
COMMERCIAL AMERICAN BAKE SHOP.
UNFORTUNATELY, IT'S A
LITTLE LARGE FOR HOME USE,
BUT FEAR NOT... IT COMES
IN HALF SIZE CALLED,
YUP, A HALF SHEET PAN.
FORGED FROM A SINGLE PIECE
OF HEAVY-DUTY ALUMINUM,
AND MORE TRUSTWORTHY
THAN YOUR DOG,
THIS PAN IS BUILT TO TAKE
IT AND DISH IT OUT.
NOW ALUMINUM IS AN
EXCELLENT CONDUCTOR,
SO IT HEATS QUICKLY AND
RELAYS THAT HEAT NICELY
TO WHATEVER HAPPENS TO
BE SITTING ON TOP.
NOW UNLIKE NON-STICK
OR DARK METAL PANS,
THIS ONE WON'T BURN
BISCUIT BOTTOMS
BEFORE THE REST OF THE
BISCUIT HAS HAD TIME TO COOK.
SEE THIS LIP... NOT ONLY DOES
IT STOP DISASTROUS SLIDES,
IT ADDS STABILITY,
RENDERING THE PAN,
WELL, VIRTUALLY UNWARPABLE.
SHOW ME A COOKIE SHEET THAT CAN
DO THAT FOR UNDER TEN DOLLARS.
JUST IN CASE.
♪
THIS WAS PULLED OUT OF A
CIVIL WAR BATTLEFIELD,
LIKE GENERAL GRANT BAKED
BISCUITS ON IT.
YEAH, BUT YOU SURE
LOVED THE ONES THAT CAME OUT OF IT.
WELL, OKAY, THAT'S TRUE,
BUT I DON'T REMEMBER YOU
GREASING THE PAN.
I DO ALWAYS, LIGHTLY.
WELL, I DON'T GREASE MY PAN.
YOU NOTICE ANOTHER
THING THAT SHE DOES, WHICH IS GOOD--
STRAIGHT DOWN, AND THEN
SHE GIVES A LITTLE BIT OF A TWIST.
IF YOU TWIST YOUR WAY
THROUGH BISCUIT DOUGH,
YOU WON'T GET A
CLEAN RISE, RIGHT? RIGHT.
WHAT ELSE WILL HAPPEN?
SOMETHING BAD.
THEY TEAR.
I DON'T KNOW, SOMETHING YOU COOKED UP, I GUESS.
OOH, I HATE TO HEAR
THAT KIND OF TALK.
I USE AN ALUMINUM PAN...
I DON'T LIKE STAINLESS STEEL PANS FOR BISCUITS,
AND I DON'T LIE
TEFLON PANS.
HAVE YOU EVER TRIED
TO BAKE BISCUITS ON TEFLON PANS? NO, I HAVEN'T.
THEY TURN BLACK
ON THE BOTTOM.
IT'S NOT A GOOD THING.
BISCUIT CUTTER,
STRAIGHT DOWN,
TWIST, POP OUT.
DOWN, TWIST.
THE TWIST IS OKAY, BUT
ONLY IF YOU'VE GONE ALL THE WAY THROUGH.
AND YOU NOTICE THAT
BOTH SHE AND I
LIKE TO PUT OUR
BISCUITS SHOULDER TO SHOULDER.
AND THAT'S BECAUSE
YOU'LL GET A BETTER RISE OUT OF THEM
IF THEY'RE JUST
TOUCHING.
IF YOU CROWD
THEM TOO MUCH,
THE HEAT WON'T BE ABLE
TO GET IN BETWEEN THE BISCUITS, RIGHT? RIGHT.
OKAY, I'M RIGHT ON
SOMETHING FINALLY--IT'S TAKEN ALL THESE YEARS.
SO IF YOU HAVE THEM TOO
FAR APART, THEY'LL BURN.
AND THEY'LL SPREAD
OUT, WON'T THEY? SURE.
INSTEAD OF GOING UP.
SO IF YOU JUST TOUCH
THEM NEXT TO EACH OTHER,
THEY'LL RISE STRAIGHT.
NOW SHE'S ROLLING
OUT HER GARBAGE,
AS WE SAY,
HER TRASH.
AND YOU ROLL THOSE
TOGETHER JUST AS LIGHTLY AS YOU CAN,
BECAUSE THE DOUGH'S
ALREADY BEEN WORKED PERFECTLY,
YOU DON'T WANT
TO GO FAR.
NOW AS USUAL, I HAVE
MORE TRASH ON MY BOARD THAN SHE DOES,
BUT THAT'S OKAY.
HOW MANY DO YOU USUALLY
GET OUT OF A BATCH?
YOU ALWAYS GET
THE SAME NUMBER? ABOUT TWELVE.
YOU ALWAYS GET A
DOZEN, DON'T YOU.
MINE ARE A LITTLE
BIGGER, SO I'M NOT GOING TO HAVE QUITE AS MANY.
DOWN AND TWIST.
WELL, I'LL HAVE ONE FAT ONE,
AND THAT USED TO BE
THE ONE, WHEN YOU WAS A LITTLE BOY,
THAT YOU WANTED.
WELL, 'CAUSE IT'S BIG, RIGHT?
YES.
BUT I LIKED THEM BEST THE NEXT DAY,
WHEN YOU SPLIT 'EM OPEN
AND YOU BUTTERED THEM,
AND THEN YOU
TOASTED THEM. RIGHT.
THAT'S THE WAY THEY
WERE SUPPOSED TO BE.
I'VE PROBABLY EATEN
ABOUT 50,000 BISCUITS AT MA MAE'S HOUSE.
NOW DID YOUR MOM
TEACH YOU TO MAKE THESE LIKE THIS? NO, NOT REALLY.
HOW DID YOU ADAPT
YOUR BISCUIT MAKING.
JUST BY DOING.
JUST BY DOING IT, HUH?
YOU USED TO MAKE THEM
EVERY DAY, RIGHT? SURE.
WHEN I WAS
FIRST MARRIED,
I MADE BISCUITS FOR
BREAKFAST EVERY DAY.
EVERY SINGLE DAY.
YES.
BACK THEN WE WORKED,
THOUGH, SO NOBODY GOT FAT OFF OF THEM.
NOWADAYS, IF I HAD
BISCUITS EVERY DAY,
IT'D BE LIKE, ALFRED
HITCHCOCK COOKING HOUR.
IT'D BE PRETTY BAD.
OKAY, FOR THE VERY
LAST TOUCH--AND FOR GOODNESS SAKES,
DON'T SKIP THIS--NOTE
THE INDENTATION,
THE SLIGHT
INDENTATION.
NOW I DO MINE
WITH THE THUMB.
MA MAE DOES HERS
WITH TWO FINGERS.
PUSHING DOWN
IN THE MIDDLE
IS GONNA HELP THE
BISCUIT TO RISE EVENLY.
SINCE THE HEAT HITS THE
OUTSIDE OF THE BISCUIT AND WORKS IN,
IF YOU DIDN'T PUNCH IT
IN YOU MIGHT END UP WITH A DOMED BISCUIT, RIGHT? RIGHT.
OKAY, YOU'RE, AH...
DO YOU WANT MY BISCUITS IN THE OVEN YET?
YES, THERE DONE,
AREN'T THEY?
WHY DO YOU NOT WANT
TO SIT AROUND AND STARE AT THEM?
YOU DON'T WANT THEM
TO RISE 'TIL THEY GET IN THE OVEN.
SO THE THE POWER CORDS
ARE IN PLACE--FLOUR, FAT, MOISTURE.
NOW FOR THE UNIFYING
ELEMENT OF GOOD ROCK-'N'-ROLL AND BISCUITS...
VOLUME!
BAKED GOODS GET THEIR VOLUME
FROM THE LIFT OF HOT AIR,
OR TO BE MORE EXACT,
STEAM AND CARBON DIOXIDE
THAT'S PRODUCED BY YEAST
AND CHEMICAL LEAVENERS.
NOW AS YOU NO DOUBT REMEMBER
FROM YOUR FOURTH
GRADE SCIENCE CLASS,
IF YOU COMBINE AN ALKALINE--
SAY, AH, BAKING SODA--
WITH AN ACID,
LIKE VINEGAR, YOU GET...
WELL, A BIG CASE OF GAS.
NOW THIS RELATIONSHIP,
LIKE MOST, HAS TO BE EQUAL
IF IT'S REALLY GOING TO WORK.
AND THAT'S WHAT'S SO GREAT
ABOUT BAKING POWDER.
YOU SEE, IT CONTAINS AN
EQUAL RATIO OF AN ACID--
CREAM OF TARTAR--
AND BAKING SODA.
ALL YOU HAVE TO DO
IS ADD LIQUID...
♪
...AND INSTANT GAS.
SO WHY DO SO MANY
RECIPES CALL FOR
BOTH BAKING POWDER AND
BAKING SODA?
WELL, IT'S GOT TO DO
WITH AN EQUAL RATIO.
YOU SEE, A LOT OF INGREDIENTS--
CHOCOLATE, SUGAR, EGGS,
EVEN DAIRY PRODUCTS--
CAN THROW OFF THE ACID/
ALKALINE RELATIONSHIP.
SO WE ADD JUST A LITTLE BIT OF
BAKING SODA TO OUR BISCUIT DOUGH
TO HELP COUNTERACT THE
ACID IN THE BUTTERMILK.
EXCUSE ME... HELLO.
NO, MA MAE, I'M NOT DOING
ANYTHING DANGEROUS.
YES, I'LL TELL THEM... BYE-BYE.
SHE WANTS ME TO REMIND YOU
THAT CHEMICAL LEAVENERS
HAVE A SPECIFIC SHELF LIFE, SO
WATCH THOSE EXPIRATION DATES.
ONCE YOU'VE GOT BISCUITS
DOWN, YOU CAN EXPERIMENT
WITH ENDLESS VARIATIONS
ON THE THEME.
SCONES START WITH THE SAME
DRY MIXTURE AS BISCUITS,
BUT WITH THE ADDITION OF
TWO TABLESPOONS OF SUGAR
AND AN EXTRA TWO
TABLESPOONS OF BUTTER.
SUBSTITUTE THREE-QUARTERS OF A
CUP OF CREAM FOR THE BUTTERMILK,
AND ADD ONE BEATEN EGG.
A HANDFUL OF CURRANTS
OR DRIED CRANBERRIES
WOULD BE TRADITIONAL,
BUT NOT MANDATORY.
NOW SHORTCAKE IS EVEN EASIER.
JUST ADD A THIRD OF A CUP
OF SUGAR TO THE DRY MIX,
AND YOU CAN REPLACE
THE BUTTERMILK
WITH HALF AND HALF, IF YOU WANT,
BUT I'D MISS THAT
BUTTERMILK TWANG.
IT'S UP TO YOU.
STIR THE DOUGH UNTIL IT
JUST COMES TOGETHER,
THEN SPOON IT RIGHT
OUT ONTO THE PAN.
BRUSH THOROUGHLY WITH MELTED
BUTTER, SPRINKLE WITH SUGAR.
BAKE AT 400 'TIL GOLDEN, COOL,
SMOTHER WITH BERRIES
AND WHIPPED CREAM,
EAT, REPEAT.
♪
NOW THAT'S WHAT I'M
TALKIN' ABOUT,
PERFECT, GOLDEN BISCUITS.
HOW DID YOURS TURN
OUT, MA MAE? PERFECT, LIKE ALWAYS.
SO DID MINE.
WHEN DID YOURS GET TO BE PERFECT?
SO WHAT DO WE PUT ON
THE PERFECT SOUTHERN BISCUITS? YOU PUT BUTTER.
WELL, I DON'T KNOW,
WE'VE GOT SOME JAM, SOME PRESERVES,
SOME SAUSAGE,
BACON... WELL, SO WHAT?
JUST...
BUTTER, I'M WITH YA.
WELL, WE HOPE YOU'VE
PICKED UP A FEW POINTERS
ABOUT THE QUINTESSENTIAL,
SOUTHERN QUICKBREAD
THAT IS THE BISCUIT.
IT'S POWERFUL MEDICINE,
TO BE SURE,
BUT IT'S WELL WITHIN YOUR REACH.
JUST REMEMBER, USE SOFT,
WINTER-WHEAT, SOUTHERN FLOUR,
WORK IN THE FAT THOROUGHLY,
MIX IT QUICK,
AND BAKE IT IN A HOT OVEN--AT
LEAST 400 DEGREES, RIGHT?
FOUR-SEVENTY-FIVE.
MA MAE, YOUR OVEN HASN'T SEEN 475
SINCE THE ICE AGE.
HONEY, YOU DON'T KNOW A THING ABOUT AN OVEN.
MY OVEN WILL OUTCOOK
YOURS ANY DAY.
SEE YA NEXT TIME ON "GOOD EATS."
OVENS, I GOT MORE OVENS
IN THE GARAGE THAN YOU'VE EVER HAD IN YOUR LIFE.
YEAH, BUT YOU DON'T HAVE
A GOOD ONE LIKE MINE.
WHAT'S GOOD ABOUT THAT
OVEN, THE THING RUNS ON COAL FUMES!
IT'S JUST A GOOD
ONE, THAT'S ALL I CAN TELL YOU.
WELL, TRY ONE OF
MY BISCUITS, AND YOU'LL HAVE GOOD.
I DON'T WANT ONE
OF YOUR BISCUITS!
NOBODY'S GONNA EAT
THOSE HOCKEY PUCKS!
♪
PLATES FOREVER HELD IN CHECK...
FACTORY VERSUS PLANTATION,
YANKEE INGENUITY VERSUS
SOUTHERN HOSPITALITY,
LEONARD BERSTEIN VERSUS
LYNYRD SKYNYRD--
EVERYTHING SYMMETRICALLY
BALANCED.
UNTIL IT COMES TO BISCUITS.
SEE, THE NORTHERN BISCUIT HAS A
DISTINCTLY NAUTICAL HERITAGE.
THE WORD BISCUIT AFTER ALL,
IS FROM A OLD FRENCH PHRASE,
BIS CUIT--IT MEANS TWICE BAKED,
AND REFERS TO THE METHOD
THAT WAS NECESSARY TO KEEP
OCEAN-GOING SAILOR WAFERS
FROM GOING STALE AT SEA.
THESE WERE NUTRITIOUS
LITTLE GUT BOMBS,
BUT THEY HAD THE
TEXTURE OF A ROCK,
AND ONLY HALF THE FLAVOR.
NOW SOUTHERN BISCUITS,
ON THE OTHER HAND,
HAIL DIRECTLY FROM
ENGLISH SCONES.
AND THEY ARE SO
LIGHT, SO FLUFFY,
SO JUST DOWN-AND-OUT DELICIOUS,
THAT I WOULDN'T BE SURPRISED
IF SHERMAN MARCH TO
THE SEA WAS NOTHING MORE
THAN A BISCUIT RUN, RUN AMUCK.
OR MAYBE HE JUST
DIDN'T LIKE BANJOS.
NAH.
THE SOUTHERN BISCUIT IS MUCH
MORE THAN MERE SOCIAL ICON.
THE CUCKOO ATTAINS BISCUITHOOD,
WELL, THEY RECEIVED THE
KEYS TO QUICK BREAD CITY.
DUMPLINGS, SCONES,
SODA BREAD, SHORTCAKE,
ALL FALL WITHIN EASY GRASP.
IN SHORT...
THE BISCUIT IS
A POWERFUL TOOL,
NOT TO MENTION
SERIOUSLY "GOOD EATS."
♪
MAKING BISCUITS IS LIKE
PLAYING ROCK-'N'-ROLL...
YOU ONLY NEED THREE CORDS
AND A LOT OF VOLUME.
NOW THE BISCUIT CORDS ARE
FLOUR, FAT AND MOISTURE.
NOW FIRST THE FLOUR... AMONG
WHEAT FLOURS ALONE WE'VE GOT,
WELL, THERE'S ALL-PURPOSE FLOUR,
THERE'S SELF-RISING FLOUR,
WE'VE GOT BREAD FLOUR,
UNBLEACHED, ALL-PURPOSE FLOUR.
LET'S SEE, THEN
THERE'S CAKE FLOUR
AND DOZENS OF OTHERS.
NOW WITH THE EXCEPTION
OF THE SELF-RISING,
WHICH CONTAINS
CHEMICAL LEAVENERS,
THE MAIN DIFFERENCE
BETWEEN ALL THESE FLOURS
IS MOSTLY PROTEIN CONTENT.
AND THAT DEPENDS A
GREAT DEAL ON WHEAT.
NOW ABOUT 75 PERCENT OF
THE WHEAT GROWN IN AMERICA
IS HARD WHEAT, MEANING THAT
IT'S HIGH IN PROTEIN.
NOW FLOUR MADE FROM
THIS KIND OF WHEAT
IS OFTEN MARKETED
AS BREAD FLOUR,
BECAUSE IT FORMS THE
KIND OF PLASTIC STRUCTURE
THAT FRENCH BAGUETTES AND CRUSTY
SOUR DOUGH ROLLS DEPEND ON.
SOFT WHEAT, BECAUSE IT
CONTAINS LESS PROTEIN,
IS MORE SUITED FOR
SOFTER BAKING GOODS,
LIKE CAKES, PASTRIES
AND BISCUITS.
THESE KIND OF SOFT FLOURS ARE
TRADITIONAL IN SOUTHERN BAKING,
BECAUSE BEFORE MODERN
TRANSPORTATION,
THAT'S WHAT THEY HAD.
NOW JUST AS SOME TRADITIONAL
NORTHERN HARD FLOURS
HAVE BECOME AVAILABLE IN THE
SOUTH, SOME SOUTHERN FLOURS,
OFTEN LABELED AS
BETTER FOR BISCUITS,
ARE STARTING TO SHOW UP
ON NORTHERN SHELVES.
ALL-PURPOSE FLOUR,
BY THE WAY,
IS USUALLY A MIXTURE OF
HARD AND SOFT FLOURS.
AP, AS IT'S CALLED, IS FINE
FOR MOST BAKING CHORES,
BUT JUST AS YOU'LL NEVER MAKE
A GREAT BAGUETTE WITH IT,
BISCUITS, TOO, WILL ELUDE YOU.
NOW IN A PINCH, YOU CAN CONCOCT
YOUR OWN BISCUIT FLOUR
BY MIXING THREE PARTS
OF ALL-PURPOSE FLOUR
WITH ONE PART OF CAKE FLOUR.
IT'LL GET YOU CLOSE.
NOTHIN' LIKE LARD FOR A
FLAKY PIE CRUST, HUH?
OH, THIS, THIS ISN'T
FOR ME, NO, NO.
I WOULD NEVER
COOK WITH THIS.
THIS IS FOR...
ONE OF THOSE
CONTESTS WITH THE GREASED WATERMELON.
THE GREASY WATERMELON
CONTEST. YEAH, GREASED WATERMELON.
GOT IT!
WHETHER FAT PHOBICS
LIKE IT OR NOT,
FAT, ESPECIALLY FATS THAT ARE
SOLID AT ROOM TEMPERATURE,
PLAY A CRUCIAL ROLE IN THE
TEXTURE OF BAKED GOODS.
NOW TAKE THIS
VEGETABLE SHORTENING...
NOT ONLY WILL IT TENDERIZE
AND MOISTEN OUR BISCUITS
BY SURROUNDING THE
STARCH GRANULES,
EVEN A VERY SMALL
AMOUNT WILL CREATE
A DRAMATIC INCREASE
IN DOUGH VOLUME.
NOW ANY SOLID FAT CAN
BE USED IN BISCUITS.
BUTTER LENDS GREAT TASTE
BUT IFFY TEXTURE,
WHILE LARD PRODUCES
A VERY TENDER CRUMB,
BUT HAS A TOUCH OF GAMINESS.
VEGETABLE SHORTENING
IS NEUTRAL IN FLAVOR,
PRODUCES A LIGHT TEXTURE,
HAS A LONG SHELF LIFE,
AND IS EASY TO WORK WITH.
NOW I LIKE TO USE
SHORTENING FOR TEXTURE,
ALONG WITH A LITTLE BIT OF
BUTTER, JUST FOR FLAVOR.
♪
TO BRING THE OTHER
INGREDIENTS TOGETHER
AND SUPPLY THE MOISTURE
NEEDED FOR A GOOD RISE,
THE LAST OF THE BISCUIT
POWER CORDS IS LIQUID,
USUALLY IN THE FORM OF MILK,
CREAM OR BETTER YET, BUTTERMILK.
NOW I ACCIDENTALLY PUT SOME
OF THIS STUFF IN MY CEREAL
WHEN I WAS ABOUT THREE,
AND I GOT TO TELL YA,
I NEVER GOT OVER IT.
BUT WHEN IT COMES TO BISCUITS,
THERE'S JUST NO SUBSTITUTING
THE SOUR TWANG OF BUTTERMILK.
EITHER LOW FAT OR FAT
FREE WILL DO FINE.
AND SINCE IT'S BASICALLY
SPOILED ALREADY,
IT KEEPS FOR A LONG
TIME IN THE FRIDGE.
JUST DON'T CONFUSE IT WITH
SKIM, COME SATURDAY MORNING.
HERE AT "GOOD EATS," WE
MAKE A HABIT OF TRAFFICKING
IN CULTURAL ICONS.
AND WHAT COULD BE MORE
CULTURALLY ICONOCLASTIC THAN...
THE AMERICAN GRANDMOTHER.
THAT'S RIGHT, AND THIS IS
NOT A TV GRANDMOTHER,
THIS IS MY REAL GRANDMOTHER--
I CALL HER MA MAE.
HEY MA MAE, DID YOU GET
THOSE WEIGHTS MOVED UP TO THE ATTIC?
YOU'RE AS MEAN
AS A SNAKE.
THIS IS GONNA BE GREAT.
MA MAE FED ME MY FIRST
BISCUIT BACK WHEN I WAS ABOUT YEA TALL.
AND I'VE BEEN STUDYING HOW
TO MAKE THEM AT HER KNEE,
LIKE LUKE SKYWALKER
AT YODA'S PLACE,
FOR DECADES NOW.
SO THE FIRST STEP
TO MAKING BISCUITS
IS TO PREHEAT THE OVEN
TO 400 DEGREES, RIGHT?
FOUR-SEVENTY-FIVE.
FOUR-SEVENTY-FIVE,
I SAY 400.
NEXT WE MAKE BISCUITS.
♪
THE BATTLE LINE
HAS BEEN DRAWN,
WE ARE AT BATTLEGROUND
BISCUIT.
NOW ALTHOUGH MA MAE
HERE, TAUGHT ME HOW TO MAKE BISCUITS,
AND EVERY BISCUIT
THAT I'VE EVER HAD
HAS BASICALLY TRIED
TO LIVE UP TO HERS,
OVER THE YEARS
MY METHODOLOGY
HAS DEFIANTLY
SPREAD INTO A DIFFERENT DIRECTION,
ESPECIALLY WHEN IT
COMES TO MEASURING,
AND MEASURING IS REALLY
KIND OF THE FIRST PLACE
THAT YOU CAN GO
WRONG IN BISCUITING.
NOW WHEN YOU'VE
MADE BISCUITS FOR LIKE, 175 YEARS,
LIKE MA MAE HAS,
THEN YOU KNOW WHAT
THINGS SHOULD LOOK LIKE,
AND FEEL LIKE.
BUT FOR THE BEGINNING
BISCUITMAKER, AND EVEN FOR ME,
I STILL MEASURE
EVERYTHING.
SO WE HAVE THE
DIFFERENCES IN METHODOLOGY HERE,
MA MAE USING ARTIFACTS
FOUND IN BURIAL GROUNDS
FROM, LIKE, THE
FIFTH CENTURY... WHAT IS THAT?
THAT IS A BISCUIT
CUTTER.
THAT'S NOT ORIGINAL
MATERIAL, THERE?
WELL, THEY BROUGHT THAT
OVER ON THE MAYFLOWER.
GOOD TO KNOW YOU'VE
STILL GOT A SENSE OF HUMOR ABOUT THAT.
OKAY, SO WE'RE BOTH
GONNA BE STARTING
WITH A SOFT, WINTER
WHEAT FLOUR.
WE'RE NOT GONNA
NAME BRANDS, BUT...
MA MAE PREFERS TO USE
SELF-RISING FLOUR
THAT ALREADY HAS THE
LEAVENING INGREDIENTS ADDED IN.
I HAVE TO ADMIT, I VERY
OFTEN USE IT AS WELL,
BUT FOR THE SAKE
OF ARGUMENT,
I'M GONNA BE USING
ALL-PURPOSE FLOUR TODAY.
AND I'M GONNA ADD THE
BAKING POWDER AND THE BAKING SODA SEPARATELY.
AND WE'RE GONNA COME
BACK TO MORE OF THOSE LATER.
YOU READY TO START?
READY TO START.
OKAY, WE'RE GONNA
START WITH PHASE ONE, MEASURING...
I DO IT, SHE
DOESN'T, HERE WE GO.
SHE'LL BE SPOONING
OUT HER FLOUR,
WHILE I WILL BE
PRECISELY MEASURING MY INGREDIENTS.
I USE A DIGITAL SCALE
THAT HAS WHAT'S CALLED A TARE WEIGHT ON IT,
WHICH MEANS I CAN
SLAP A BOWL ON THERE
AND THEN BASICALLY
SUBTRACT THE WEIGHT OF THE BOWL.
NOW MA MAE GOES WITH
TWO CUPS OF FLOUR,
AND I BASICALLY DO
TOO, ONLY MY TWO CUPS OF FLOUR
GENERALLY WEIGHS OUT
TO ABOUT TEN OUNCES.
YOU'LL ALSO NOTICE THAT
SHE SIFTS HER FLOUR... WHY DO YOU DO THAT?
MAKE IT LIGHTER.
SHE SAYS IT MAKES it LIGHTER.
I'M NOT SO SURE, WE'LL
HAVE TO BE THE JUDGE LATER ON.
I'VE GOT TEN OUNCES
OF FLOUR,
AND I SUSPECT THAT
BECAUSE SHE SIFTS HER FLOUR,
SHE'S PROBABLY USING A
LITTLE LESS THAN I AM,
BECAUSE THE GRAINS IN
HER FLOUR ARE GONNA
KIND OF BE LIFTED
AWAY FROM EACH OTHER,
WHILE MINE ARE
MORE COMPACT.
OKAY, I'M GONNA
GO AHEAD
AND ADD FOUR TEASPOONS
OF BAKING POWDER,
WHICH IS THE SAME AS
ONE TEASPOON PLUS ONE TABLESPOON.
NOW BAKING POWDER IS
INTERESTING STUFF, BECAUSE IT'S BALANCED.
IT HOLDS BOTH
ACID AND ALKAINE,
SO IT CAN RISE
ALL BY ITSELF,
WITHOUT ANY OTHER
CHEMICAL AGENTS.
AND I'M GONNA ADD ABOUT
A QUARTER TEASPOON OF BAKING SODA--
A TINY, TINY,
LITTLE AMOUNT.
IT'S GONNA GIVE US A
LITTLE BIT BETTER OF A RISE,
ESPECIALLY WITH THE ACID
THAT'S IN THE BUTTERMILK WE'RE USING.
BUT THE REASON I ALSO
USE A VERY SMALL AMOUNT
IS THAT IT WILL FLAVOR
THINGS--IT'S GOT A LOT OF SODIUM IN IT--
AND IF YOU USE A LOT
YOU'LL TASTE IT.
YOU HAVIN' A HARD TIME
WITH THAT THING THERE? UH-HUM.
OKAY, SO WE'RE DONE
WITH THE MEASURING PART, THE DRY STUFF. YES.
OKAY, SO YOU'RE
READY TO GO.
GIVE ME A SECOND,
LET ME STIR THIS UP.
OH, SALT...
HER FLOUR ALREADY
HAS SALT WORKED INTO IT,
AND YOU'VE GOT TO
HAVE SALT FOR ANY KIND OF BREAD,
OR IT JUST TASTES...
I DON'T KNOW, WHAT DOES IT TASTE LIKE
WHEN YOU DON'T HAVE
ANY SALT IN IT? IT'S JUST FLAT.
FLAT, DEAD, FLAT.
SO I'M GONNA ADD ABOUT--
THAT'S ABOUT A
TEASPOON OF SALT.
YOU DON'T HAVE TO
USE KOSHER SALT,
BUT IT'S PRETTY MUCH
THE ONLY KIND I USE.
NOW MA MAE HAS MOVED
ON, PULLING IN FRONT
INTO THE CUTTING
IN OF THE FAT.
AGAIN, RENEGADE THAT
SHE IS, NO MEASURING,
JUST DIVING
RIGHT IN THERE.
AND SHE'S GONNA CUT
IT IN... WHY DO YOU USE A SPOON?
I GUESS BECAUSE
I LIKE TO.
WELL, YOUR MOM
DIDN'T USE A SPOON, I KNOW, I REMEMBER. NO, SHE USED HER HANDS.
MY GREAT-GRANDMOTHER
USED HER HANDS.
IT WAS GOOD ENOUGH
FOR HER, IT'S GOOD ENOUGH FOR ME...
YOU JUST--IT'S ALL
THAT FANCY JEWELRY YOU'RE WEARING,
I SUSPECT.
SURE, THAT'S IT.
I'M GONNA WEIGH MINE, AND WHAT I LIKE TO DO
IS I LIKE TO HAVE
MY FAT COLD WHEN I CUT IT IN.
SO WHAT I'M GONNA DO
IS I'M GONNA GO AHEAD
AND MEASURE OUT
MY BUTTERMILK,
AND I LIKE TO USE A
CUP OF BUTTERMILK.
AND SINCE A PINT IS
A POUND, THE WORLD AROUND,
EIGHT OUNCES
FLUID MEASURE
EQUALS EIGHT
OUNCES OF WEIGHT.
SO I CAN JUST LOOK
AT MY SCALE AND I'VE GOT EIGHT OUNCES,
WHICH IS THE
SAME AS A CUP.
AND I'M GONNA PUT
IN TWO OUNCES,
ACTUALLY, MORE LIKE
AN OUNCE OF BUTTER,
AND I'M JUST GONNA ADD
IT STRAIGHT TO THIS UNTIL I GET ONE OUNCE.
I'M GONNA HIT THE
TARE WEIGHT AGAIN.
SHE'S ALREADY
SMOKIN' ME.
SLOW DOWN, YOU
MAKE ME LOOK BAD!
HOW OLD'S THAT BOWL?
THAT'S THE ONLY ONE
I HAVE EVER SEEN YOU MAKE BISCUITS IN.
WELL, THAT'S OLDER
THAN YOU ARE. A LOT OF THINGS ARE.
THANK GOODNESS
THAT WE'RE STILL AT THAT POINT.
I'M GONNA ADD ALSO TWO
OUNCES OF SHORTENING.
SHE LIKES ALL
SHORTENING,
I LIKE TO USE A
LITTLE BIT OF BOTH.
SHORTENING'S GONNA
GIVE YOU A BETTER TEXTURE, RIGHT?
RIGHT.
IT'S JUST LIGHTER, KIND OF THING.
NOW YOU REMEMBER
USING LARD FOR BISCUITS, DON'T YOU?
YES, IN MY EARLY
YEARS OF LIFE,
I DID USE LARD.
LIKE AROUND THE TIME
OF "GONE WITH THE WIND"?
I LIKE TO USE
A COMBINATION.
YOU'RE GONNA GET
A TENDER TOOTH,
A TENDER CRUMB, OUT
OF THE BISCUIT FROM SHORTENING.
YOU'RE GONNA GET A
LITTLE BIT OF FLAVOR IF YOU USE BUTTER.
YOU DON'T WAIT ON
ME, YOU KEEP GOING, I'LL CATCH UP.
NOW WHERE SHE CUTS HERS
IN WITH A SPOON, I LIKE TO USE MY FINGERS.
BUT WHEN YOU DO THIS,
TRY TO USE JUST YOUR FINGERTIPS.
I KNOW IT LOOKS MESSY,
BUT DON'T WORRY.
AND JUST KIND OF
WORK IT IN.
WHAT WE'RE WANTING IS
SOMETHING THAT LOOKS KIND OF LIKE CORNMEAL,
SO JUST BREAK IT UP
AND WORK IT IN.
THIS IS A LOT MORE
FUN THAN HER METHOD.
ALL RIGHT, SHE'S ALREADY
GOING ON THE BUTTERMILK.
HOW MUCH DO YOU
THINK YOU USE?
I NEVER MEASURE IT, I
JUST PUT IN THERE WHAT I THINK IT NEEDS,
AND STIR IT 'TIL
IT'S DONE.
SHE AND I BOTH LIKE
A VERY LOOSE DOUGH.
ONE OF THE GREAT
SECRETS, WHAT SHE'S TAUGHT ME
IS THE SECRET, REALLY,
TO BISCUIT MAKING
IS A VERY, VERY
WET DOUGH
THAT YOU DON'T WORK
VERY MUCH, RIGHT? RIGHT.
JUST STIR IT UNTIL IT
COMES TOGETHER INTO A STICKY MASS.
IF IT LOOKS STICKY
AND NASTY, YOU'RE GOING THE RIGHT WAY.
SHE LIKES TO DO THIS
ON PARCHMENT PAPER,
WHICH MAKES FOR A
SLIGHTLY NEATER KITCHEN.
I DON'T REALLY GET TOO
WORKED UP ABOUT THAT.
NOW THAT I'VE GOT
THE FAT WORKED IN,
IT JUST LOOKS CRUMBY, IT
KIND OF LOOKS LIKE BREADCRUMBS, ALMOST.
I'M GONNA MAKE A WELL
RIGHT IN THE MIDDLE,
AND I'M GONNA ADD
MY BUTTERMILK.
I LOST MY SPOON,
MA MAE, CAN I USE YOURS?
CAN I USE YOUR
SACRED SPOON? YOU MAKE FUN OF MY SPOON.
IT'S A WONDERFUL
SPOON,
WEIGHTED PERFECTLY
FOR BISCUIT MAKING.
OH, SHE'S AHEAD
OF ME ALREADY,
THIS IS LOOKIN'
PRETTY BAD FOR ME.
YOU SEE HOW GENTLY
SHE'S WORKIN' IT.
THESE ARE THE HANDS OF
A MASTER RIGHT HERE.
YOU DON'T SEE THIS KIND
OF BISCUIT MAKING MUCH IN AMERICA ANYMORE.
BARELY PATTING IT OUT,
NO ROLLING NECESSARY.
CAN I PUT YOUR SPOON
IN THE SINK? YES.
IF YOU WANT TO WASH
A ROLLING PIN, YOU CAN ROLL IT OUT.
ROLLING PINS JUST
AREN'T MY CUP OF TEA.
GONNA ROLL OUT ENOUGH
FLOUR TO KEEP IT FROM STICKIN' ON THE BOARD,
AND THEN JUST TURN
OUT THE WHOLE THING.
OH, SHE'S GONE
FOR HER PAN,
HER SPECIAL
BISCUIT PAN,
CIRCA 1853,
ULYSSES S. GRANT!
I DON'T EVEN KNOW WHERE
I PUT MY BISCUIT PAN.
I'VE GOT TO RUN FOR
A BISCUIT PAN.
LIKE MANY OF OUR
FAVORITE KITCHEN TOOLS,
YOU PROBABLY WON'T FIND THE
IDEAL BISCUIT PAN AT THE MALL.
BUT IF YOUR TOWN HAS MORE
THAN THREE RESTAURANTS,
THERE'S PROBABLY A
RESTAURANT SUPPLY STORE
THAT'S OPEN TO THE PUBLIC.
AND THAT'S WHERE I PROMISE
YOU WILL FIND SHEET PANS,
STANDARD ISSUE FOR THE
COMMERCIAL AMERICAN BAKE SHOP.
UNFORTUNATELY, IT'S A
LITTLE LARGE FOR HOME USE,
BUT FEAR NOT... IT COMES
IN HALF SIZE CALLED,
YUP, A HALF SHEET PAN.
FORGED FROM A SINGLE PIECE
OF HEAVY-DUTY ALUMINUM,
AND MORE TRUSTWORTHY
THAN YOUR DOG,
THIS PAN IS BUILT TO TAKE
IT AND DISH IT OUT.
NOW ALUMINUM IS AN
EXCELLENT CONDUCTOR,
SO IT HEATS QUICKLY AND
RELAYS THAT HEAT NICELY
TO WHATEVER HAPPENS TO
BE SITTING ON TOP.
NOW UNLIKE NON-STICK
OR DARK METAL PANS,
THIS ONE WON'T BURN
BISCUIT BOTTOMS
BEFORE THE REST OF THE
BISCUIT HAS HAD TIME TO COOK.
SEE THIS LIP... NOT ONLY DOES
IT STOP DISASTROUS SLIDES,
IT ADDS STABILITY,
RENDERING THE PAN,
WELL, VIRTUALLY UNWARPABLE.
SHOW ME A COOKIE SHEET THAT CAN
DO THAT FOR UNDER TEN DOLLARS.
JUST IN CASE.
♪
THIS WAS PULLED OUT OF A
CIVIL WAR BATTLEFIELD,
LIKE GENERAL GRANT BAKED
BISCUITS ON IT.
YEAH, BUT YOU SURE
LOVED THE ONES THAT CAME OUT OF IT.
WELL, OKAY, THAT'S TRUE,
BUT I DON'T REMEMBER YOU
GREASING THE PAN.
I DO ALWAYS, LIGHTLY.
WELL, I DON'T GREASE MY PAN.
YOU NOTICE ANOTHER
THING THAT SHE DOES, WHICH IS GOOD--
STRAIGHT DOWN, AND THEN
SHE GIVES A LITTLE BIT OF A TWIST.
IF YOU TWIST YOUR WAY
THROUGH BISCUIT DOUGH,
YOU WON'T GET A
CLEAN RISE, RIGHT? RIGHT.
WHAT ELSE WILL HAPPEN?
SOMETHING BAD.
THEY TEAR.
I DON'T KNOW, SOMETHING YOU COOKED UP, I GUESS.
OOH, I HATE TO HEAR
THAT KIND OF TALK.
I USE AN ALUMINUM PAN...
I DON'T LIKE STAINLESS STEEL PANS FOR BISCUITS,
AND I DON'T LIE
TEFLON PANS.
HAVE YOU EVER TRIED
TO BAKE BISCUITS ON TEFLON PANS? NO, I HAVEN'T.
THEY TURN BLACK
ON THE BOTTOM.
IT'S NOT A GOOD THING.
BISCUIT CUTTER,
STRAIGHT DOWN,
TWIST, POP OUT.
DOWN, TWIST.
THE TWIST IS OKAY, BUT
ONLY IF YOU'VE GONE ALL THE WAY THROUGH.
AND YOU NOTICE THAT
BOTH SHE AND I
LIKE TO PUT OUR
BISCUITS SHOULDER TO SHOULDER.
AND THAT'S BECAUSE
YOU'LL GET A BETTER RISE OUT OF THEM
IF THEY'RE JUST
TOUCHING.
IF YOU CROWD
THEM TOO MUCH,
THE HEAT WON'T BE ABLE
TO GET IN BETWEEN THE BISCUITS, RIGHT? RIGHT.
OKAY, I'M RIGHT ON
SOMETHING FINALLY--IT'S TAKEN ALL THESE YEARS.
SO IF YOU HAVE THEM TOO
FAR APART, THEY'LL BURN.
AND THEY'LL SPREAD
OUT, WON'T THEY? SURE.
INSTEAD OF GOING UP.
SO IF YOU JUST TOUCH
THEM NEXT TO EACH OTHER,
THEY'LL RISE STRAIGHT.
NOW SHE'S ROLLING
OUT HER GARBAGE,
AS WE SAY,
HER TRASH.
AND YOU ROLL THOSE
TOGETHER JUST AS LIGHTLY AS YOU CAN,
BECAUSE THE DOUGH'S
ALREADY BEEN WORKED PERFECTLY,
YOU DON'T WANT
TO GO FAR.
NOW AS USUAL, I HAVE
MORE TRASH ON MY BOARD THAN SHE DOES,
BUT THAT'S OKAY.
HOW MANY DO YOU USUALLY
GET OUT OF A BATCH?
YOU ALWAYS GET
THE SAME NUMBER? ABOUT TWELVE.
YOU ALWAYS GET A
DOZEN, DON'T YOU.
MINE ARE A LITTLE
BIGGER, SO I'M NOT GOING TO HAVE QUITE AS MANY.
DOWN AND TWIST.
WELL, I'LL HAVE ONE FAT ONE,
AND THAT USED TO BE
THE ONE, WHEN YOU WAS A LITTLE BOY,
THAT YOU WANTED.
WELL, 'CAUSE IT'S BIG, RIGHT?
YES.
BUT I LIKED THEM BEST THE NEXT DAY,
WHEN YOU SPLIT 'EM OPEN
AND YOU BUTTERED THEM,
AND THEN YOU
TOASTED THEM. RIGHT.
THAT'S THE WAY THEY
WERE SUPPOSED TO BE.
I'VE PROBABLY EATEN
ABOUT 50,000 BISCUITS AT MA MAE'S HOUSE.
NOW DID YOUR MOM
TEACH YOU TO MAKE THESE LIKE THIS? NO, NOT REALLY.
HOW DID YOU ADAPT
YOUR BISCUIT MAKING.
JUST BY DOING.
JUST BY DOING IT, HUH?
YOU USED TO MAKE THEM
EVERY DAY, RIGHT? SURE.
WHEN I WAS
FIRST MARRIED,
I MADE BISCUITS FOR
BREAKFAST EVERY DAY.
EVERY SINGLE DAY.
YES.
BACK THEN WE WORKED,
THOUGH, SO NOBODY GOT FAT OFF OF THEM.
NOWADAYS, IF I HAD
BISCUITS EVERY DAY,
IT'D BE LIKE, ALFRED
HITCHCOCK COOKING HOUR.
IT'D BE PRETTY BAD.
OKAY, FOR THE VERY
LAST TOUCH--AND FOR GOODNESS SAKES,
DON'T SKIP THIS--NOTE
THE INDENTATION,
THE SLIGHT
INDENTATION.
NOW I DO MINE
WITH THE THUMB.
MA MAE DOES HERS
WITH TWO FINGERS.
PUSHING DOWN
IN THE MIDDLE
IS GONNA HELP THE
BISCUIT TO RISE EVENLY.
SINCE THE HEAT HITS THE
OUTSIDE OF THE BISCUIT AND WORKS IN,
IF YOU DIDN'T PUNCH IT
IN YOU MIGHT END UP WITH A DOMED BISCUIT, RIGHT? RIGHT.
OKAY, YOU'RE, AH...
DO YOU WANT MY BISCUITS IN THE OVEN YET?
YES, THERE DONE,
AREN'T THEY?
WHY DO YOU NOT WANT
TO SIT AROUND AND STARE AT THEM?
YOU DON'T WANT THEM
TO RISE 'TIL THEY GET IN THE OVEN.
SO THE THE POWER CORDS
ARE IN PLACE--FLOUR, FAT, MOISTURE.
NOW FOR THE UNIFYING
ELEMENT OF GOOD ROCK-'N'-ROLL AND BISCUITS...
VOLUME!
BAKED GOODS GET THEIR VOLUME
FROM THE LIFT OF HOT AIR,
OR TO BE MORE EXACT,
STEAM AND CARBON DIOXIDE
THAT'S PRODUCED BY YEAST
AND CHEMICAL LEAVENERS.
NOW AS YOU NO DOUBT REMEMBER
FROM YOUR FOURTH
GRADE SCIENCE CLASS,
IF YOU COMBINE AN ALKALINE--
SAY, AH, BAKING SODA--
WITH AN ACID,
LIKE VINEGAR, YOU GET...
WELL, A BIG CASE OF GAS.
NOW THIS RELATIONSHIP,
LIKE MOST, HAS TO BE EQUAL
IF IT'S REALLY GOING TO WORK.
AND THAT'S WHAT'S SO GREAT
ABOUT BAKING POWDER.
YOU SEE, IT CONTAINS AN
EQUAL RATIO OF AN ACID--
CREAM OF TARTAR--
AND BAKING SODA.
ALL YOU HAVE TO DO
IS ADD LIQUID...
♪
...AND INSTANT GAS.
SO WHY DO SO MANY
RECIPES CALL FOR
BOTH BAKING POWDER AND
BAKING SODA?
WELL, IT'S GOT TO DO
WITH AN EQUAL RATIO.
YOU SEE, A LOT OF INGREDIENTS--
CHOCOLATE, SUGAR, EGGS,
EVEN DAIRY PRODUCTS--
CAN THROW OFF THE ACID/
ALKALINE RELATIONSHIP.
SO WE ADD JUST A LITTLE BIT OF
BAKING SODA TO OUR BISCUIT DOUGH
TO HELP COUNTERACT THE
ACID IN THE BUTTERMILK.
EXCUSE ME... HELLO.
NO, MA MAE, I'M NOT DOING
ANYTHING DANGEROUS.
YES, I'LL TELL THEM... BYE-BYE.
SHE WANTS ME TO REMIND YOU
THAT CHEMICAL LEAVENERS
HAVE A SPECIFIC SHELF LIFE, SO
WATCH THOSE EXPIRATION DATES.
ONCE YOU'VE GOT BISCUITS
DOWN, YOU CAN EXPERIMENT
WITH ENDLESS VARIATIONS
ON THE THEME.
SCONES START WITH THE SAME
DRY MIXTURE AS BISCUITS,
BUT WITH THE ADDITION OF
TWO TABLESPOONS OF SUGAR
AND AN EXTRA TWO
TABLESPOONS OF BUTTER.
SUBSTITUTE THREE-QUARTERS OF A
CUP OF CREAM FOR THE BUTTERMILK,
AND ADD ONE BEATEN EGG.
A HANDFUL OF CURRANTS
OR DRIED CRANBERRIES
WOULD BE TRADITIONAL,
BUT NOT MANDATORY.
NOW SHORTCAKE IS EVEN EASIER.
JUST ADD A THIRD OF A CUP
OF SUGAR TO THE DRY MIX,
AND YOU CAN REPLACE
THE BUTTERMILK
WITH HALF AND HALF, IF YOU WANT,
BUT I'D MISS THAT
BUTTERMILK TWANG.
IT'S UP TO YOU.
STIR THE DOUGH UNTIL IT
JUST COMES TOGETHER,
THEN SPOON IT RIGHT
OUT ONTO THE PAN.
BRUSH THOROUGHLY WITH MELTED
BUTTER, SPRINKLE WITH SUGAR.
BAKE AT 400 'TIL GOLDEN, COOL,
SMOTHER WITH BERRIES
AND WHIPPED CREAM,
EAT, REPEAT.
♪
NOW THAT'S WHAT I'M
TALKIN' ABOUT,
PERFECT, GOLDEN BISCUITS.
HOW DID YOURS TURN
OUT, MA MAE? PERFECT, LIKE ALWAYS.
SO DID MINE.
WHEN DID YOURS GET TO BE PERFECT?
SO WHAT DO WE PUT ON
THE PERFECT SOUTHERN BISCUITS? YOU PUT BUTTER.
WELL, I DON'T KNOW,
WE'VE GOT SOME JAM, SOME PRESERVES,
SOME SAUSAGE,
BACON... WELL, SO WHAT?
JUST...
BUTTER, I'M WITH YA.
WELL, WE HOPE YOU'VE
PICKED UP A FEW POINTERS
ABOUT THE QUINTESSENTIAL,
SOUTHERN QUICKBREAD
THAT IS THE BISCUIT.
IT'S POWERFUL MEDICINE,
TO BE SURE,
BUT IT'S WELL WITHIN YOUR REACH.
JUST REMEMBER, USE SOFT,
WINTER-WHEAT, SOUTHERN FLOUR,
WORK IN THE FAT THOROUGHLY,
MIX IT QUICK,
AND BAKE IT IN A HOT OVEN--AT
LEAST 400 DEGREES, RIGHT?
FOUR-SEVENTY-FIVE.
MA MAE, YOUR OVEN HASN'T SEEN 475
SINCE THE ICE AGE.
HONEY, YOU DON'T KNOW A THING ABOUT AN OVEN.
MY OVEN WILL OUTCOOK
YOURS ANY DAY.
SEE YA NEXT TIME ON "GOOD EATS."
OVENS, I GOT MORE OVENS
IN THE GARAGE THAN YOU'VE EVER HAD IN YOUR LIFE.
YEAH, BUT YOU DON'T HAVE
A GOOD ONE LIKE MINE.
WHAT'S GOOD ABOUT THAT
OVEN, THE THING RUNS ON COAL FUMES!
IT'S JUST A GOOD
ONE, THAT'S ALL I CAN TELL YOU.
WELL, TRY ONE OF
MY BISCUITS, AND YOU'LL HAVE GOOD.
I DON'T WANT ONE
OF YOUR BISCUITS!
NOBODY'S GONNA EAT
THOSE HOCKEY PUCKS!
♪