Makin’ Biscuits

by: Marisa Reynolds

Senior Vice President of IT/OPS/ISO at Oconee State Bank 

For many of us, the season of Christmas is a time of celebration where we as families gather in fellowship around laughter, food, stories, blessings, and thanks while sharing our hopes and dreams for the future.  Christmas is one of the most popular and favorite seasons of the year. Oftentimes, we reflect back and share memorable moments of family members that have gone on before us.

 

Without fail, some of my personal favorite stories include my husband’s grandmother, Nana Reynolds. Nana was a simple, loving, generous, God fearing, no nonsense kind of woman that unknowingly shared a special concoction of wisdom in the most unique ways. She was also infamous for her country and home cooking skills in the kitchen. We all benefited from her mouthwatering meals and desserts made with love.  Although the scales the next morning were not always in our favor! Her homemade biscuits always topped the charts as an all-time favorite for both my husband and I.

 

Being part of a large family of six with two brothers and a sister, meals were prepared at home and shared on the large kitchen table as a family. Both parents shared time in the kitchen with all of us learning from an early age the meaningful art of good family cooking and fellowship. My Mom was a career educator and home economist, which defines itself and without question, my Dad is the best breakfast maker ever. All of us children inherited the love of food and tend to be very competitive with each other, hence our “food war” social media posts. However, homemade biscuits were not part of either of my parents shared cooking skills. So, when I married at the early age of nineteen, in order to expand my horizons, I was determined to learn the art of making homemade biscuits from Nana. Until recently, I never knew the true value and meaning that Nana taught me in making homemade biscuits.

 

Nana lived in a simple home that carried an intoxicating aroma of coffee and sweet desserts when you walked in the door. Whatever was swarming through your busy mind once you crossed over the threshold of her home, peace and comfort settled over you. On another note, Nana rarely called you by your first name but always had a term of endearment on the tip of her tongue. It was a rotating name such as honey, sugar or sweetie. Looking back, it reminds me of her love and servant mind for others which showed through her words and actions daily.

 

I was anxious to get started and living only two houses down from Nana, it was convenient to pop in for a biscuit making session at any time.  Being prepared I arrived with pen and recipe book in hand to capture the exact ingredients and instructions for making homemade biscuits. Nana politely dismissed me with a wave of her hand and quietly commented that homemade biscuits were not prepared from a piece of paper but were made from your heart, mind and soul. She made her way into the kitchen while softly humming a favorite hymn. I quickly followed and watched her every movement.  She reached above the refrigerator to retrieve a wooden bowl with a cheesecloth draped over the top and placed it on the counter top. She gathered the remaining ingredients from the cabinets and then went back to the refrigerator for the container of buttermilk. Upon removing the cheesecloth from the wooden bowl, a sifter and remaining remnants of flour were uncovered. Nana briefly paused, flashed a smile my way and said, “Let’s get started”.  She continued humming, while adding flour to the sifter. There was no measurement, she poured straight from the bag until she was satisfied. Then she added a pinch of salt and baking powder to the mixture and removed the sifter. She dipped her hand into the shortening, added to the bowl, and began kneading. She then began pouring the buttermilk straight from the container into the growing mixture and continued kneading. At my wit’s end, I asked Nana how she knew what the correct measurements were for each item. Another grin and she commented, “Honey, when we make homemade biscuits, we don’t measure, we just know based on how the dough looks and feels.” Shortly thereafter, she showed me how to pinch off some dough, roll it, and flatten the biscuit then place on the baking sheet. Twenty minutes later and we tasted perfect homemade biscuits.

 

Over the next couple of weeks and we made biscuits at Nana’s home.  Each time, the biscuits were melt in your mouth delicious.  Eventually, I had written up “Nana’s Biscuit Recipe” and posted on my refrigerator.  The time had come to try making biscuits on my own.  Boy, was that a fiasco.  You could throw my biscuits against the wall.  I tried a couple more times and to no avail, my biscuits were nothing like Nana’s fluffy and mouthwatering biscuits.  Therefore, I asked Nana, “How come my biscuits are not like your biscuits? I can stand in your kitchen and we make them together, but I go home and I cannot seem to find the right touch. I am so frustrated!”  Nana just smiled and said, “Honey, you have to make biscuits every day to become a good biscuit maker.  It has to come from your heart. It is a natural thing to make biscuits. That is why you have to make biscuits every day.  And honey, that is how you become a biscuit maker.”

 

I was sadly disappointed; I wanted to be an “instant” biscuit maker.  Moreover, being a young twenty year old, I was not keen on taking advice from a seventy five year old woman. I gave up on making homemade biscuits.  I was good at cooking other things.  Maybe this is what happened to my mother. If she did not have the biscuit gene, how could she pass it on to me? I tried to substitute with canned biscuits or rolls, but it was just not the same.  Much to my disappointed, I concluded I was not ever going to be a homemade biscuit maker.

 

Many years later, I was talking with a friend about making biscuits.  I was not cut out for making homemade biscuits. My friend was insistent and shared a recipe that just might work for me.  I made the biscuits that night and they were good.  That recipe and encouragement gave me confidence.  I decided to keep making biscuits.  I learned over time that I had to add a little more buttermilk, change the temperature on my oven and adjust the cooking time to get the “just right” homemade biscuit.  I do not have to have the instructions in front of me anymore. I can proudly say that I can make biscuits from my heart now, just like Nana.

 

Looking back, at twenty years old, I was a young and naïve newlywed. I did not realize Nana was teaching me life lessons and words of wisdom.  Nana not only talked the talk, but also walked the talk. Through her actions, she showed me that in order to be good at anything; you have to embrace the “lifelong biscuit maker” mentality. Each day is an opportunity to continue to work on your own unique recipe of YOU. Challenge yourself to grow personally, professionally and spiritually daily.

Nana is one of many people that I hold dear to my heart that have shaped and molded me into the person I am today.  As a team member of Oconee State Bank for over twenty-three years, what a joy and a blessing to be a part of an organization that cultivates and encourages an environment to grow personally and professionally every day.  Not only do I have the opportunity to share my lifelong lessons and experiences but learn from others that I engage with each day.  All of us are working on our unique recipe of ourselves. I am so thankful the bank embraces the “lifelong biscuit maker” mentality just like my Nana.

 

During this holiday season, take the time to remember those that have given you the special gift of knowledge, encouragement and love.  The best way you can honor and thank them are through your actions.  Nana did not leave a legacy for me, but left a legacy in me. She has given me the gift of “biscuit making” that I will continue to share with others.  What are you giving this season?

 

Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays to my family, friends and community!