As I continue my journey into Southern cooking while waiting for God’s call, I find myself slowing down a little more each day. Taking the time to enjoy a glass of freshly squeezed lemonade while giving another go at making a great biscuit is part of my attempt at being present. Being still while trying to master the art of a truly fine Southern biscuit is hard work. So much of me wants to be anything but still.

Sunday while I prepared my afternoon buffet, I listened to Andrea Bocceli as I cooked and baked. The music was invigorating and kept my mind off of mindless chatter. It allowed me to flow into a rhythm that was joyful. Frankly I think my food as

well as my afternoon was that much better for it. I took my time while juicing the lemons. I was gentle with the biscuit dough. Taking time to think if all was well in my bowl of dough before I added more flour was certainly a change of pace for me. Not to mention a better biscuit for it.Slowing down is important for many reasons. Learning to cook Southern is one of them. The other is trying to prepare myself for God’s call. How can I hear the call if I am rushing? Yesterday I mentioned Laundry and Tosca, now is the perfect time to return to this film. I will just tell you a little about the theme and Marcia Whitehead whom the film is about. Not one to want to ruin the end of something. I will keep the outcome a secret.

Someone said, Laundry and Tosca is a poetic investigation of what it means to be called by God to a life that appears impossible. I might add that the difference with Marcia’s response to God’s call and mine is that she is living her calling with much grace. I on the other hand seem to be deaf, ungrateful and obstinate despite my attempts to be otherwise.

For most of her adult life, Marcia Whitehead has lived in a little garage apartment in Southern California and worked a modest-wage job (Never earning more than $12/hour). Like most of us, she lives paycheck to paycheck, and has more debt than savings. And, like most of us, she dreams of an abundant life, beyond the ordinary.

It is said only 40 women in the world have the body and musculature to be a lirico-spinto soprano. Marcia is one of them. Marcia never liked Opera. Marcia sang opera because she heard God tell her to. She still hears that voice that tells her to sing opera and has grown to appreciate the music and stories of opera. Marcia spends all her money on voice lessons which she took after a long day at work and on weekends for over 20 years.

A random acquaintance arranged a hearing for Marcia with Maestro Franco Iglesias who once had as a student the world renowned Placido Domingo. Maestro would judge her chances at a career in opera. In the time that follows, it becomes clear that Marcia’s dream of an abundant life has already come true.

I want what Marcia has. I want her peace, her joy. I can not shake the impact these two women have had on me. The part of me that is surrendered to God fully grasps the message. The other part of me that frets about bills, careers, success, and getting passed over for the Gingerbread Lady; so doesn’t get the message they share.

God has a lot of work when it comes to transforming this stubborn soul. I doubt more than I care to say even after all these years of God’s faithfulness and love towards me. I should know better. Having 53 years of experience should be enough. Unlike Marcia whom I believe will hear these words, well done my faithful servant when she goes to heaven. I will hear, my dear child you missed the blessed life I offered you, while looking for the joyful life you thought I forgot to give you. That is unless I change the way I look at life and God.

To recap an evening spent with Laundry and Tosca the format is as follows. First you watch the film which has everyone in the audience sobbing after the first 5 minutes, and that is only if they are hardened. Most begin crying sooner than 5 minutes. After the film Lauralee Farrer the author of this award winning film, who also is a brilliant writer tells the story through her writing. I have goosebumps just thinking of her words. Then as if that wasn’t enough to knock loose my grip on the meaningless world I cling to. Marcia Whitehead sung for us. More tears followed. Then a question and answer session came, with one of the last questions to Marcia being, What are you doing now with your career?

Keeping true to my desire not to tell you how the story turns out, you must see it for yourself. They tour all over the country visiting colleges, theological seminaries, churches and have featured in all the major film festivals. Both Lauralee and Marcia are devout Christians, but do not let that stop you if your faith is different. This is a message for everyone. I say this because, I have heard that they leave audiences in film festivals teary eyed and speechless regardless of their beliefs. They go in to watch a film as they are. They come out a different person for watching and experiencing this film. This is a message for all of humanity.

Wait you say, this is a food blog. What does this film have to do with cooking? Well it has everything to do with it. I have been led to cook and write about cooking. So, what if cooking and writing is my calling? What if God is waiting for me to realize this? What if God is using the kitchen as a way to transform me? I am beginning to suspect that while I transform some flour and butter along with a little cream into a great biscuit; God is transforming me and the way I look at life.

Realizing that stomachs are growling and you all are getting thirsty. Perhaps now is a good time as any to move to the recipes at hand. This biscuit recipe is my favorite so far. It is the one to be topped, which I haven’t seen done yet. The recipe is courtesy of The Flying Biscuit a local place in Atlanta. Their biscuits fly out the door. I think heaven has a standing order for their biscuits every Sunday. They are that good.

Homemade Lemonade

Scott Peacock & Edna Lewis; The Gift of Southern Cooking

2 cups granulated sugar

1 1/2 cups freshly squeezed lemonade

1/4 teaspoon salt

2 quarts bottled spring water, chilled

2 lemons thinly sliced

• Put granulated sugar, freshly squeezed lemon juice, salt and water into a large bowl or pitcher.
• Stir well until sugar is dissolved.
• Then add lemon slices.
• Refrigerate until ready to use.

Flying Biscuits

Adapted;The Flying Biscuit Cookbook

3 cups all-purpose flour, White Lily works best

1 tablespoon plus 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder (make homemade, see note on home page of site)

3/4 teaspoon salt

2 tablespoons plus 1 1/2 teaspoons sugar

6 tablespoons sweet butter room temperature

2/3 cup heavy cream

2/3 cup half and half

2 tablespoons half and half for brushing top of biscuits

1 tablespoon sugar for top of biscuits (if making a sweet biscuit)

Adapted Version:

4 slices of cooked bacon, coarsely chopped

1/4 cup finely chopped chives or any other herb

• Preheat oven to 375F
• Line sheet pan with parchment paper
• Place dry ingredients in a large mixing bowl.
• Cut butter into 1/2 tablespoon-sized bits and add to flour.
• Using your fingertips or a pastry cutter, blend till mixture resembles coarse meal.
• Add bacon and chives.
• Make a well in the center of the ingredients and pour in the creams.
• Stir with a wooden spoon until dough just begins to come together into a ball.
• Turn dough onto a lightly floured surface and knead 2 or 3 times to form a cohesive mass.
• Do not overwork the dough.
• Using a rolling pin, roll the dough to a 1 inch thickness.
• The correct thickness is key to turning out a stately biscuit.
• Dip a 2 1/2 inch biscuit cutter in flour then cut the dough.
• Do not twist when cutting, a simple up down motion is correct.
• Scraps can be gathered together and rerolled one more time.
• Place biscuits on a prepared sheet, 1/4 inch apart.
• Brush tops with cream.
• If not making an bacon chive biscuit you can sprinkle sugar on top of biscuits after brushing on cream.
• Bake 20 minutes until lightly browned.
• Makes 8-12 depending on size of cutter.

This is a light flakey biscuit with just a touch of sweetness to the dough. It worked just as well adding the bacon bits and chives to it. I enjoyed my afternoon, and found myself at peace if for only a little while. Somehow I sensed God smiling down on me while I baked and enjoyed the story of Laundry and Tosca again. I smiled back at God. It was a good feeling, I might add.