There’s just something wonderful, even almost divine, about waking up on a Sunday morning to the smell of freshly baked biscuits. I’ll swear on a stack of bibles that my Aunt Edie made the best homemade buttermilk biscuits on the planet. When she came to visit us from South Carolina, you can bet that early the next morning she’d be in the kitchen with flour up to her elbows, hand forming her miracle dough into the world’s most perfect creation. Her biscuits would always come out crunchy, buttery and flaky on the outside with a soft, almost delicate interior, perfect for absorbing a large pat of butter and some of her sweet orange marmalade. Because of the strength of our family memories, you never believe it will be possible to taste that kind baked-in love again…but sometimes you might just be surprised.
Over on Gallier Street in the Bywater, Elizabeth’s Restaurant is in the habit of cooking up dishes that will get you closer to home than you ever dreamed possible. One of Chef Byron Peck’s multitude of culinary talents is the undeniable ability to make a righteous biscuit. Along with some praline bacon and traditional callas, you might want to stop in for brunch one weekend and try his deceivingly simple dish of biscuits and gravy. Discover buttery, flaky goodness floating in a pool of rich sausage gravy that will make you lick the plate clean.
For something on the sweeter side, travel Uptown to La Petite Grocery located on the corner of General Pershing and Magazine Streets. Chef Justin Devillier offers a delectable Sunday brunch and serves, among other things, thyme biscuits drizzled with locally-made honey, the chef’s own house-made ricotta and topped with whatever fruit happens to be in season.
Another toothsome treat can be found on Rampart Street at the newly opened Shake Sugary owned and operated by pastry chef Dawn Snead. Cruise on by the shop every weekend to enjoy all kinds of pastries, but notably her Maple Bacon Sweet Potato Biscuits.
Chef Emmanuel Loubier at Dante’s Kitchen serves his flaky, buttery, buttermilk biscuits plain or with a whole lot of love. Substituting a delicious biscuit in place of the traditional English muffin, Loubier tops his baked dainties with all the goodness in a traditional eggs Benedict, plus a little lagniappe like meaty debris or a roasted rosemary rubbed pork loin. Can you get any closer to heaven than this?
If you just can’t drag yourself out of the house (or even out of bed) to enjoy the bevy of biscuity bliss available in the Big Easy, you can still enjoy delicious, locally-made biscuits at home without breaking a sweat over flour-laden counter tops. Hailing from Bastrop in Northern Louisiana comes Dezzie Dough, an easy, tasty sweet potato dough that will make biscuits or muffins directly from your fridge. Simply squeeze the size and shape biscuit from the pouch onto your cookie sheet and in twelve minutes, you’ll have the most healthy and delicious biscuits you never imagined possible.
*Article originally published in the September 2011 issue of Where Y’at Magazine
**Shake Sugary, Dante’s Kitchen & Dezzie Dough are closed
