White Lily Flour from The New York Times

Upon recommendation from my friend Mark, I got a bag of White Lily flour. It's been around as a southern brand since the early 1880ss, and was acquired by the Smuckers company a few years ago.

Results

Made amazing biscuits this morning with it. Lard *and* butter cut into the package recipe. Very nice biscuits reminding me of my Grandma's (a goal to strive for - she always used Crisco and kept the works in the fridge at home).  Will keep tweaking recipe - maybe add some baking soda and repeat.

Grandma used buttermilk. Her sister Louise always suggested clabbered milk (which can be found at http://www.ehow.com/how_2192640_make-clabbered-milk.html)
see also http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Crème_fraiche
I've used whole milk yoghurt with decent results in biscuits; provides similarly good taste.

Also going to check on Nunn Better http://www.nunn-better.com/flour-corn.htm (Evansville, IN) and Virginia's Best which seem to have a following of their own. Likewise, soft red wheat flours with low protein.

Meanwhile, the debate about what Smucker's did when they closed the plant and moved operations is found at

DINING & WINE

Biscuit Bakers’ Treasured Mill Moves North

By SHAILA DEWAN

Published: June 18, 2008

For generations of Southern bakers, the closing of the White Lily flour mill is causing ripples of anxiety that Southern biscuits will never be the same.

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/06/18/dining/18flour.html