Saveur Cooks Authentic American - Editors Of Cook's Illustrated Magazine [56]
Chive and Cheddar Biscuits
It seems that every Southern cook has a cherished recipe for homemade biscuits, but this one is a standout. Generous amounts of butter and buttermilk impart richness and a tender texture, and the sharp, tangy flavors of fresh chives and cheddar cheese provide a mouthwatering counterpoint.
2 cups flour, plus more for dusting
2 tbsp. baking powder
½ tsp. baking soda
1 tbsp. sugar
1½ tsp. kosher salt
8 tbsp. cold unsalted butter, cut into thin pats
¾ cup plus 2 tbsp. buttermilk
½ cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese
½ cup minced chives
2 tbsp. heavy cream
Makes 6 biscuits
1. Heat the oven to 450°F. Whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, sugar, and salt in a bowl. Using a pastry cutter, work the cold butter into the flour mixture until the butter is the size of small peas.
2. Add the buttermilk, cheddar, and chives to the flour–butter mixture and stir with a fork to form a loose dough.
3. Turn the dough out onto a floured surface and gently pat into a 6 x 9-inch rectangle. Fold into thirds as you would a letter and pat into a 6 x 9-inch rectangle again. Dip the edges of a 3-inch round biscuit cutter in flour and punch out 6 biscuits from the dough. Transfer the biscuits to a parchment paper–lined baking sheet. (Form and cut the dough scraps into another biscuit or two, if you wish; they won’t rise as high, though.) Brush the tops with heavy cream and bake until lightly browned, 14–16 minutes. Serve warm.
Belly Pulpit
As big as the plate they’re served on and crisp around the edges, the tender buttermilk flapjacks at Robie’s Country Store & Deli, in Hooksett, New Hampshire, a town of 13,000 people in the southeastern part of the state, are so incomparably delicious that they nearly outshine the establishment’s other claim to fame: politics. The old-fashioned general store, with its eight café tables and its counter lined with jars of penny candy for sale, is a frequent stop for campaigning politicians passing through the state. Campaigners have long made a habit of pulling up a chair at out-of-the-way, all-American spots like Robie’s in the hope that their enthusiasm for down-to-earth, local meals would make them more appealing to voters. Robie’s is particularly significant because it’s one of the earliest and most anticipated stops on the cross-country campaign trail: New Hampshire traditionally holds one of the first primary elections of the voting season, so the nation naturally turns its attention to the state. Robie’s also functions as a community social club: Dorothy Robie, who ran the store for five decades with her husband, Lloyd (whose great-grandfather bought the place in 1887), can still be found having coffee and flapjacks with neighbors there a few times each week.
Buttermilk Flapjacks
The ideal flapjack is browned and crisp around the edges and tender and fluffy inside. According to the seasoned cooks at Robie’s Country Store & Deli, in Hooksett, New Hampshire, for the best results, you’ve got to take your time and cook the flapjacks one by one with plenty of butter in a hot skillet.
2 cups flour
2 tbsp. granulated sugar
4 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. fine sea salt
12 tbsp. unsalted butter, plus more for serving
2 cups buttermilk
1 tsp. vanilla extract
2 eggs, lightly beaten Maple syrup, for serving Confectioners’ sugar, for serving
Serves 2–4
1. Put the flour, granulated sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt into a large bowl and whisk to combine; set aside.
2. Melt 4 tbsp. butter. Whisk together the melted butter, buttermilk, vanilla, and eggs in a medium bowl. Pour the buttermilk mixture into the flour mixture and whisk together until just combined to make a thick batter. (For tender flapjacks, don’t overmix the batter.)
3. Heat an