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.
