Artistic Biscuits: Grandparents' Day Biscuits

Theme: Grandparents' Day

Grandparents' Day was named an offiical holiday in 1973 in a proclamation by our 39th President, Jimmy Carter. Although generally considered a Hallmark Holiday, its founder, Marian McQuade, had noble intentions in designating a calendar day to remember and celebrate the wisdom of our distinguished matriarchs and patriarchs both in and out of our country's nursing homes. She hoped that that this day would encourage young people to investigate their heritage.

This year, we happen to have some proud, new grandparents visiting which offered up a good excuse for some more biscuit experimenting.
I wanted this recipe to be slightly citrusy with a spicy, woody overtone. I chose orange and cranberry as the base and allspice as the compliment. Allspice is the berry that grows on the pimento tree; an evergreen exclusive to the western hemisphere. Once ground, it loses its flavour very quickly on the shelf. I bought whole allspice and ground it myself with my mortar and pestle and could still barely taste it in this recipe even after sprinkling in about one and a half tablespoons. I shudder to think that the allspice I purchased had been sitting in the grocery store for years and therefore lost its will to be aromatic and flavourful, but I suspect that to be the case.
The first bite of this biscuit was supposed to invoke memories of old wooden spice cabinets and pocketwatches, but what comes to mind is afternoon tea in a sun room looking out on a brisk fall day. Not a bad transportation at all - the biscuits are tasty! - just not exactly what I had aimed to create. Cooking did not help to pronounce the allspice. My advice: taste the batter and if there's no sign of the woody spiciness, add ground cloves to taste.

As they are, these biscuits are deliciously citrusy but, as biscuits should be, not too sweet.

Grandparents' Day Biscuits

2 1/4 cups All Purpose Flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
2 teaspoons sugar
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
6 Tablespoons (3/4 stick) cold unsalted butter, cut into 1/2 inch cubes
1 1/2 Tablespoon ground allspice
3/4 cup dried cranberries, chopped into tiny bits
1 cup reduced-fat well-shaken buttermilk

1 whole orange, zested and then cut in half
1/2 lemon

Preheat oven to 450°F.

Zest orange and set zest aside.

Place half lemon with its rind and the already zested orange in a pot and fill it with water so that both are covered. Add 1/4 teaspoon of salt, which will tame the bitterness of the rind. Bring to a boil and drain. Cut orange and lemon into manageable pieces and transfer to food processor. Pulse until still slightly chunky.

Whisk together flour, baking powder, sugar, baking soda, salt, and allspice in a bowl, then blend in butter with your fingertips until mixture resembles coarse meal. Add orange zest, cranberry bits, and buttermilk and stir until just combined. Add processed orange and lemon.

Spoon dough into mounds (size depending on quantity desired. I think I made about 22 biscuits total.) about 2 inches apart onto a buttered large baking sheet. Bake in middle of oven until golden, 12-14 minutes.

Listen to this while you're making these:

"Grandpa Was A Carpenter" by John Prine and performed by John Prine & The Nitty Gritty Dirt Band

Listen to this while you're eating these:

"How Many Biscuits Can You Eat" performed by Dr. Humphrey Bate & His Possum Hunters, 1930's

Tasters:
Actor Jeremy Beck, Grandpa R. Beck, "Yoyo" (Grandmother) S. Beck