So excited to be in Oakland, California this weekend to bear witness to and bestow blessings upon the wedding of my brother-in-law and his bride. As she harkens from South Carolina, the whole mood of the proceedings is warm and syrupy. With this new family, and my beloved in-laws, I feel like I’ve found a welcoming porch in the midst of a hard city. What goes best on a Southern porch besides family, moonshine, and twilight? Biscuits. 
Whole Wheat Buttermilk Biscuits
Adapted from Food and Wine
And made more healthy in honor of the organic, yoga-practicing, health-conscious bride
2 cups whole-wheat flour
1 tablespoon sugar
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese
1 stick cold unsalted butter, cubed
1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons buttermilk
1/2 cup sourdough starter
Preheat the oven to 450°. In a large bowl, whisk the flour, sugar, baking powder and salt. Whisk in the cheddar cheese. Using your fingers or a pastry blender, rub or cut in the butter until the mixture resembles coarse meal with some pea-size pieces remaining. Mix in the buttermilk and starter, stirring, just until the dough holds together. On a lightly floured work surface, roll out the dough to a 7 1/2-inch square that’s 3/4 inch thick. Cut the dough into nine 2 1/2-inch squares and transfer the squares to baking sheet lined with parchment. 
Bake the biscuits for about 12 minutes, until golden brown on top. Let the biscuits cool slightly and serve. 
Enjoy with honey for breakfast over this holiday weekend. I’ll be getting back in touch with my Bay Area roots—my father grew up in Redwood City on the other side of the Bay. Views like these help me get into the mindspace of Jack London. As this is my first real break from medicine in three months—I can’t wait to dive back into the bookstores, pen first.
Las featured on Sourdough Surprises, www.sourdoughsurprises.blogspot.com
Nice. Funny though that neither US biscuits (which are basically the same as British scones) and British biscuits (which we basically just use as a synonym for cookies) are technically “biscuits” at all, as the word literally means “twice cooked”. As you probably already know Rachel…. Sounds like we were just leaving the Bay Area as you were arriving. Enjoy!
Hmm– maybe then the only thing that qualifies as a biscuit is a profiterole– also “twice cooked.” Hope you had a lovely visit to San Fran. I am just now kissing it goodbye
Plus your classic Italian biscotti, aka biscotti di Prato, aka cantuccini.
These look so nice and flaky.
Lovely! These look nice and flakey! Hope you have a great trip!
Can’t go wrong with cheese! Love your biscuits.