The Baker’s Lament: “It’s a HASSLE to cut cold butter into scone or biscuit batter in order to equally distribute those sublime pockets of buttery fat and achieve the perfect result I crave.”

Fear not! You don’t have to cut in cold butter EVER again!

Here’s how to make the best buttermilk biscuits you have ever tasted, without that busy busy busy.  And this is fast fast FAST!

Will you choose to spread MORE organic fresh cream butter on top, or scoop up some of our amazing British import jams and jellies from Wilkin & Sons?

I was in for the orange marmalade, first, then the lemon curd for the second one, personally.

Preheat oven to 450 degrees.  In a bowl: 1 1/4 cup unbleached all purpose flour plus 3/4 cup unbleached white whole wheat flour. Add 2 T baking powder, 1 teaspoon sugar, 1/2 teaspoon baking soda, 3/4 teaspoon salt. Whisk to combine.

In microwavable bowl, heat 1/2 stick, (1/4 cup) butter in microwave on high for 1 minute.  Add 1 1/4 cup very cold fat free buttermilk, stir with spatula until butter reforms into clumps. Add 1T canola oil, stir to combine.

Add buttermilk mixture to the flour mixture, stir with spatula until just blended, do not over mix.  Batter will be wet.

Drop batter in 3 T mounds onto a lightly greased cookie sheet. Or into a way retro-cool cast iron biscuit pan like ours!!!  Bake at 450 degrees for 14 minutes until golden.

Lots of luck waiting for them to cool, try to distract yourself for 3-4 minutes and then dive right in.

Add two perfectly poached eggs and ascend directly into Heaven.

Credit where credit is due:

Cooking Light Magazine, Spring 2013     Just be aware that we changed a few instructions: parchment paper didn’t work, larger biscuits are better, your cooking time may vary, just sayin

  The Yelton Manor Bed and Breakfast wouldn’t have spring without lots and lots and LOTS of pansies!!!

Yelton Manor Bed and….SKIP Breakfast!!

We played around with the Sharpies again this morning!!!

Gardens remind us of the fundamental truth: All things must change.  The burning bushes that separate  the Yelton Manor and The Manor Guest House, gorgeous and beloved for 25 years, now have an incurable disease PLUS are at the end of their lifespan. So they are dying off, one by one, sometimes two by two.  As they fall away, we drop what I have come to call “a couple of BIG ASS ROCKS” on their stumps, then I landscape around them.  The rocks are strong winter bones.  And we like the new look that visually connects the two inns. Plus we can see the span of the garden more fully from our inside vantage points.  It’s all good.  Thank you to the strong, willing and able friends from Huntree Nursery who did the chain saw massacre and the rock drop this morning. 

Robert always hoots out loud when the bill comes from Huntree, as the line item is actually “Big Ass Rocks” on the invoice.  Gotta love it.

I treated Matt and his great team to huge glasses of fresh fruit smoothie after the hard work.  Organic cherries, raspberries, black raspberries, blueberries, banana, pomegranate and a snidge of yogurt for creaminess.  Everyone was happy, the sun was shining and a good day was started perfectly!!!!

Many thanks to all our Yelton Manor B&B team who care deeply about making everything perfect!

The spacious, screened in, 3 season porch at Yelton Manor is definitely one of the most enjoyable common rooms at the inn. We serve breakfast there at two round tables that each have 4 comfortable wicker chairs.  The dainty Victorian chandeliers, the ferns, greenery and antique decor add to the sense of summer ease. In the evening we light small votive candles that burn until midnight, as the aroma of moonflower vine, trailing the fence outside, prevails.  Quite the lovely spot!!!

This year we repaired window sills, replaced all the screens, painted the storm windows, painted the floor and more.  We are excited to get it all back together again!!!

   This beautiful porch has a sloped roof that makes it the #1 destination in a thunderstorm. The rain comes down the sides in a furious torrent, the smell is delicious and the mighty thunder and lightning bring all your senses alive!!!

We are delighted to continue to keep it beautiful!!!

Cindi and Robert test out the big new wing chairs and tufted ottoman delivered for The Biltmore Hotel Suite!

Aaaaaaaaaah, all”s well!

The Biltmore Suite also got a deep new carpet and other updates.  We are delighted with the new look!

One of my favorite additions to the garden some years ago are the Crocosmia, commonly known as Lucifers.  Nothing devilish about these, except for their amazing, true red color.

Cousins to the gladiola, these are hardy plants that produce clumps of green sword-shaped leaves, with tall, arching spikes of funnel-shaped blossoms appearing in mid to late summer.

My only complaint is that sometimes the squirrels will dig up the bulb-like root and scatter them all over, rather frustrating.  They don’t even eat them, the scamps!  Just replant.

I definitely recommend dividing them every couple of years to help them keep their strength and height.  Anyway, you’ll be happy to have them everywhere, pick a nice sunny spot in good soil.

These give you a tall, luscious display that last quite a long time!

    Our beautiful 4th of July garden party made for a wonderful article in the Michigan Blue magazine!

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