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2. Cream the butter and cheese in an electric mixer at moderate speed for 2 to 3 minutes or until light. By hand, stir in the sifted dry ingredients, mixing just until the ingredients come together forming a dough about the consistency of pie pastry. Don’t overmix.

3. Press the dough through a cookie gun fitted with the “daisy” or “flower” disk onto ungreased baking sheets, spacing the daisies about 2 inches apart.

4. Bake on the middle oven shelf for 10 to 12 minutes or just until the daisies feel firm. They should not brown.

5. Transfer at once to wire racks to cool. Layer the daisies between sheets of wax paper in an airtight tin, cover, and store in a cool spot until ready to serve. Or, if you prefer, label, date, and store in the freezer (the cheese daisies will remain “fresh” for 3 to 4 months).

Variation

Cheese Straws: Prepare the dough as directed, then, using a cookie gun fitted with the star tip, pipe the dough onto ungreased baking sheets in strips about 2½ inches long. Bake, cool, and store as directed. Makes 4 to 4½ dozen.

We eat our supper (cold biscuits, bacon, blackberry jam) and discuss tomorrow.

—TRUMAN CAPOTE, A CHRISTMAS MEMORY

BENNE BISCUITS

MAKES ABOUT 4½ DOZEN

To the Africans who brought them to the South Carolina Lowcountry, sesame seeds, or benne, as they’re called, are a symbol of good luck. Today, few Lowcountry parties are complete without a plate of benne biscuits either split and buttered while warm or cooled, halved, and sandwiched together with shavings of Smithfield ham. This particular recipe is adapted from one given to me many years ago by Mary Sheppard, the gifted plantation cook at Middleton Place near Charleston. Note: To toast sesame seeds, spread in an ungreased pie pan, then set on the middle shelf of a preheated 275° F. oven for 8 to 10 minutes or just until the color of pale amber. Stir the benne frequently as they toast so that they brown evenly; cool before using.

2 cups sifted all-purpose flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

½ teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon salt

½ teaspoon ground hot red pepper (cayenne)

1/3 cup firmly packed lard or vegetable shortening

1 tablespoon butter

½ cup lightly toasted benne or sesame seeds (see Note above)

¾ cup buttermilk

1. Preheat the oven to 425° F.

2. Combine the flour, baking powder, soda, salt, and cayenne in a large mixing bowl, then, using a pastry blender or two knives, cut in the lard and butter until the texture of coarse meal. Add the benne, toss well, then make a well in the middle of the dry ingredients.

3. Pour in the buttermilk and fork briskly just until the mixture comes together, forming a soft dough. Turn onto a lightly floured surface, knead lightly 8 to 10 times, then, using a lightly floured rolling pin, roll to a thickness of about ½ inch.

4. Cut into 1-inch rounds using a floured small biscuit cutter (or even a bottle cap), and space about 1½ inches apart on ungreased baking sheets.

5. Bake in the lower third of the oven for 15 to 20 minutes or until lightly browned.

6. Split, butter while hot, and serve warm. Or, if you prefer, cool to room temperature, split, and fill with the thinnest slivers of Smithfield ham. Pass with cocktails or set out on a party buffet.

SHIRT TAIL PIES

MAKES 6

Not very sweet, these Appalachian apple turnovers are more snack than dessert and because they travel well, they’ve been a lunch-pail staple for years. In parts of the Blue Ridge and Smokies they’re called “fried pies,” but I prefer “Shirt Tail” it’s a perfect description of how the crimped edges ripple in the hot fat. Many country people still grow and dry their own apples; the rest of us can find dried apples at the nearest supermarket.

Filling

2 cups dried apples

2 cups water

1/3 cup sugar

¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/8 teaspoon ground ginger

1/8 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg

Pastry

2¼ cups sifted all-purpose flour

½ teaspoon salt

1/3 cup firmly packed lard or vegetable shortening