The Spring Races and Ham Biscuits

This time of year makes me think of the Point-to-Point Races in Virginia.  Starting in February, we would attend the 6 or so races on a Saturday to see the fine horses that had fox hunted the previous season. Races are on the flat (no jumps), or over fences of timber or brush, with the latter usually being cedar trees cut from local farms and piled up to give a hedge effect. The races were a good way to shake off the winter doldrums and to get outside with other folks on cool spring days, knowing the promise of better weather lay just ahead!  Granted, with Sport Coat and Rat Catcher attire you usually needed sturdy boots to traverse the mud, but that was all part of the fun! Another fun part of this tradition is planning what to take to eat and drink and how to set up the tailgate.  Some folks just open the trunk and pop the top to the chicken bucket they picked up on the way. Others bring out the silver candelabras and fine china. There is nothing pretentious about it, it's just part of the experience of going to the races! The spreads of food are also a fun thing to walk by and visit with folks when killing time between races. Folks would even offer you a drink or tell you to take some food from their table! And all this makes me think of ham biscuits! 

Growing up we had ham biscuits at weddings, funerals, Thanksgiving, and of course the races!  Our family loves ham biscuits as any self-respecting Virginian should!  And you would always find them on silver platters at the Point-to-Point races, right alongside the fried chicken and deviled eggs.

I made some Angel Biscuits last night that I've made numerous times. The recipes comes from Nathalie Dupree's cookbook, Southern Biscuits, which can be found on our online store. Her recipe for Angel Biscuits are light, yet sturdy enough to hold little stacks of thinly sliced country ham. I like to add a little butter to my ham biscuits, but you don't have to. These travel well and and are what we call the "two bite" size biscuit.  When you watch this week's What's Instore segment, you'll see how to fill a toolbox with flowers and ham biscuits, just right for a tailgate get together at the Spring Races!