Growing up with a mother who would put Martha Stewart to shame with her clean home and kitchen delights, our entire family was enriched (and spoiled rotten) by her talents.
One of her special treats that I missed for over 40 years was her cheese biscuits. She would blend and bake them for every type of church or social function, and I always “sampled” my fair share. A few years ago her recipe was discovered in an old cookbook that listed it as “Priscilla’s and Mary Lib’s cheese biscuits.”
Mary Lib was her friend, Mary Lib Sligh. It is truly unknown which one, if either, came up with the recipe.
After several years of getting good, but mixed results from my attempts, I have “nearly” perfected the cheese biscuits — or as I bake them, cheese straws.
The trick is not just the preparation, but also the sharp cheddar cheese. The bagged, pre-shredded cheese will do, but for the best possible taste a hoop of sharp cheddar cheese is your best choice. They are covered in black wax and available at Quality Produce her near John’s Station and probably at other places.
There is a noticeable difference!
Here’s how to properly prepare their Cheese Straws/Biscuits:
Remove the black wax from the sharp cheddar cheese hoop and grate the cheese. Back in those days long passed, I helped “Ma” by turning a hand grater convert the small cheese blocks to small slivers of cheese. Today, a grating attachment comes with an electric food processor.
Believe me, the food processor is easier to use — and much harder to clean!
To begin making Cheese Biscuits or Straws:
Measure out 1 pound of grated sharp cheddar cheese and let it sit on a plate or wax paper until is reaches a normal room temperature. Also let 1/2 pound of salter butter come to room temperature.
Put them in a food processor, add 1 level tablespoon of sugar, 1 level teaspoon of salt, and 1/4 to 1 teaspoon of cayenne or red pepper — 1/4 teaspoon make the final product very mild and 1 teaspoon will make them kick like a mule.
I prefer 1/2 teaspoon for a spicy aftertaste.
Blend all in a food processor and then add 2 cups of Swann’s Down Cake Flour. After blending, remove all from the food processor and place the cheese dough in a covered plastic container.
Continue the same process if you want to make more dough for more cheese straws. Cover the plastic container and store overnight in the refrigerator. Remove the next morning and let it sit for a few hours and start kneading to universally soften the blended dough.
Then pack a cookie press with the cheese dough, and begin laying long strings on a cookie sheet.
Preheat your oven to 325 degrees F, and place the cooking sheet in the oven for 20-25 minutes, or until the cheese straws slightly darken. Remove from the oven and immediately cut to desired lengths with a pizza knife.
Yeah, they are a lot of trouble to make, they are loaded with saturated fats and carbohydrates, but slowly consuming a few with your favorite glass of red wine will make you forget the bad, and believe that the antioxidants in the wine will nullify the bad stuff.
Beacham McDougald is a Laurinburg resident.
