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mike cox says:

I have fond memories of canned biscuits; my father couldn’t cook any other kind. If I visited him, we had canned biscuits, salt pork fried like bacon, and cheese. But they are a poor substitue for cat head biscuits. The frozen ones are at least close.

Del Olds says:

Biscuits as big and fluffy as a “Cat’s head” 8-)

Jonna Pattillo says:

We always called the pressurised bics -Whop bisuits because you had to whop them on the counter to open the thing. had a long disussion with my son today about grits. I explained to him that certain persons have a problem with grits, but will happily eat them if you call it polenta. And they will. He thought it was hysterical and took the yellow grits home to Tampa and will now feed them to his friends under the more PC name. It’s really just boiled cornmeal whatever anyone wants to call it. (and yes, I make the worst bics on the planet if I have to do it the traditional way)

Meg Gerrish says:

The mention of “yellow grits” brings me back. My northern grandfather made yellow grits, but he called it “mush.” He cooked and stirred, poured the mush into a loaf pan and let it harden over night. In the morning he sliced the mush, fried it and served it to us with butter. Nothing more nutritionally useless, nothing more wonderful.

Once grown up I often tried to re-create my grandfather’s recipe, couldn’t make it work, but by then there was pre-packaged mush in a tube at the store, just $1.50. Not as good as grandfather’s, not by a country mile. Then the pre-packaged mush in a tube turned up at the store as “polenta” and shoppers could have this convenient staple so popular in Italy for just $3.50! You gotta love marketing.

I eventually discovered that the dry corn meal I used to recreate my grandfather’s simple recipe was too fine. Changed the corn meal to something more like actual grits — yellow — and there it was! Mush! Still nutritionally suspect, but so delicious. Fortunately, I also figured out how to bake mush slices (hello convection oven), so no frying, making it less messy to prepare, but still crispy good, still served with butter.

And finally — if someone served me a “cat head biscuit,” that thing would sit on the far edge of my plate for a long, long time. I’ve NEVER heard that term and the imagery (the marketing)…yikes!

johnny says:

Quick grits are like instant grits and instant coffee – an abomination before the Lord. There oughta be a law.
I have learned when I travel amongst the Yankees to ask the waitress the source of the grits before ordering. Many places North and East of Kentucky use instant grits.

Del Olds says:

Awww, Meg, the “Cat Head” imagery goes away as soon as the biscuits melts in your mouth and becomes a taste sensation. It’s ambrosia for the soul. Some butter, “black strap” molasses, (or “soppin syrup”), and a “cat head” biscuit, a side of yellow grits, a couple of “over easy” fried eggs – ain’t nothin’ better 8-).

@ C Smith – I had the same problem with YaHoo 8-).

@ Johnny – Amen and Amen!!

You can take the boy out of the country, but you can’t get the country out of the boy! When it comes to food, I am country!

Urban Reader says:

The first time I tried to make biscuits from scratch, I was about 12. My mother had gone back to school at night, and it was my job to pull together the supper she had started for us. For some reason, I decided to embellish the meal with homemade biscuits.

When finished baking, they had the consistency of silver dollars. When my dad ding-dinged his on the edge of his plate, I decided that biscuit making was outside the realm of my possibilities. Thank goodness for Pillsbury Frozen. They are delicious and better than many made from scratch.

Meg Gerrish says:

Urban Reader: Everyone should know how to make a real bread product of some sort. Something NOT from a tube. I won’t pretend to know how to make real Southern Biscuits, but the following is lovely on the plate and palate, and is quick to prepare. More like drop biscuits, actually. Maybe you’ll give it a try. Goes like this:

Preheat the oven to 450-degrees, for real. In a large bowl whisk to combine:
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 tsp sugar
1/2 tsp double-acting baking powder
1/4 tsp salt

To that add 3/4 cup cold whipping cream

Using a wide wooden spatula or large metal spoon, mix until the dough is formed, pressing the dough against the sides of the bowl to knead as you stir.

When the liquid is fully incorporated and the dough holds together, use your hands to knead for about thirty seconds. Form the dough into a 3/4″ disc. I do it right in the bowl and then transfer it to a heavy or well-seasoned cast iron pan. I use a metal scraper to cut the dough nto sections. If you want, lightly brush the tops with milk.

Bake for 15 to 18 minutes, until golden brown on top. Makes about four to six servings. The above is a sea-level recipe. If you live at a high altitude, adjustments to the baking powder and cooking time will be necessary. They don’t keep very well, so best to eat’em while they’re hot. Enjoy!