Strawberry Biscuits

2 cups sifted flour
3.4 tsp. salt
1 tbsp. baking powder
1/4 cup shortening or butter
1/4 tsp. baking soda
1 cup buttermilk (1 spoon of vinegar to milk to sour it)
24 small cubes of sugar
24 fresh strawberries

Preheat heat oven to 450

Sift flour with salt and baking powder, work in shortening with fingertips.
Mix baking soda with buttermilk and add to flour mixture, blending lightly.
Dump onto a heavily floured pastry board and knead until soft and spongy.
Roll gently to 1/2 inch thick and cut cut into rounds.
Place in well-greased pan (or parchment lined pan), and brush tops with melted butter.
Press a small sugar cube and a strawberry, side by side, into the center of each biscuit.
Allow to rise 15 minutes.
Bake at 450 for 15 minutes.

Great for tea or for dessert.

Variations:

1) Crumble 6 slices of crisp bacon and mix with dough before kneading, omit berries & sugar cubes.

2) Use blackerries, blueberries, a small chunk of fresh peach, or a date in place of the strawberry.


Makes 2 dozen biscuits