Ingredients

• 2 cups buttermilk (or 2 cups sweet milk plus 1 tablespoon cider vinegar)
• 3 to 4 cups flour                                
• 1/4 cup cooking oil (or 4 tablespoons solid shortening)
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• scant 1/8 teaspoon baking soda
• flour for kneading

Method

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
 
If using solid shortening, cut into 3 cups flour using pastry blender until it
forms a fine meal.  Blend in remaining dry ingredients (except flour for kneading),
then stir in milk.  Mix well.
 
If using cooking oil, simply mix all ingredients (except flour for kneading)
starting out with only 3 cups of flour.  Mix well
 
Dough should be of a thick, but wet, glutinous consistency.  Add more flour, 1/2
cup at a time until desired consistency is achieved.
 
Turn out onto well floured kneading surface.  Knead more flour into dough until the
consistency is firm, and springs back into shape after pushing down with the flats
of two fingers.  Form into a ball.  Making sure the kneading surface remains well
floured, pat down dough to 3/4 to 1-inch thickness (depending upon the diameter of
cutter used).  Using a well floured cutter, cut biscuits and remove to an UNGREASED
cookie sheet, placing them about 1 inch apart.  After cutting, use excess dough by
gently forming trimmings into a ball and patting down to cut more biscuits. Bake at
425 degrees for 20-25 minutes (or until golden brown). Serve hot from oven with
butter, jam or as a base for sausage gravy.
 
Yield: 10 to 14 biscuits depending on diameter of cutter.