Making Biscuits

I was really excited Easter morning making breakfast as I knew I would be making biscuits for my family.  I had planned the menu right after leaving the biscuit making class at Callie's Hot Little Biscuit.  As I said in this post, I have always wanted to master making biscuits for our family. Since I am not the best cook this seemed so hard and yet after spending time with Carrie Morey in her shop I now understand it is not only easy but so rewarding.  Pulling these hot hand made biscuits from the oven on Easter morning made me oh so proud. 

I keep say it, but if you have never eaten a Callie's biscuit you must try them as soon as you can.  They are sooo delicious, flaky and super light.  I love the taste of buttermilk, butter and the surprise addition of cream cheese.  I can't say enough good things about them.  I was so proud to make them at home and remembering everything Carrie told me was so helpful.  She has such a passion for creating the same biscuits that her mother made for her for her family and others.  I love that she isn't private about her recipe, but has decided that it is important for keeping the tradition of small batch hand made biscuit making alive.  Carrie is just so cool.  She is kind, so funny and really easy to be around.  Her faith in me as I had my hands in a bowl full of fabulous ingredients she chose was so fabulous.  I was not so sure I would be good at biscuit making but she made it so easy and she helped me get out of my own head to make it happen.

I really want to share the wonderful and extremely talented Carrie with you today ... the funny, super witty, confident and so kind teacher who we all wanted to take out for martinis after.  She is just so cool ... and did I mention funny?  I think we all had a girl crush on her, what a fabulous woman!

I asked Carrie to oblige me with a little Q + A and she eagerly agreed ...

I absolutely love the story of how your business began.  Can you share it with me again?

My mom, Callie, has always made the most incredible biscuits. After I had my first daughter, I had an ah-ha moment while watching her make my mom’s recipe. I knew we needed to share them with the world because they were too delicious just to keep within the family. I have wanted to be a mom all my life, so I knew I needed to center my career and business around family. After 14 years with an online, wholesale, and 3 grab and go concepts (with a 4th location coming) Callie's Biscuits and Callie’s Hot Little Biscuit eateries, we still make every biscuit by hand. 

Can you share five things you think every person should know how to make and make well?
Biscuits

An Egg/eggs
Homemade Soup
Roasted Chicken
Homemade Salad Dressing
From these 5 things, many many meals can be created!

There is just something special about your Hot Little Biscuits, what do you think makes them different from others?

Well first of all, thank you! I think what makes them special is that they are handmade – the Callie's way – with amazing ingredients.  But maybe even more importantly than that is the people behind the biscuits. You need to love making biscuits, and when you do the end result shows...

Reading your blog I see so much of your commitment to family and celebrations and loving life.  Do you credit this to your upbringing or to something else?

My Father raised me as a single Dad for a lot of my life and he instilled in me the importance of family. When I started my company, I wanted to be sure it had a family aspect. Committing to my family and my company was a high priority to me!

Can you tell me the vision behind the biscuit making classes?

A lot of people have asked about biscuits classes in the 14 years I’ve been in business, and at first I didn't take it seriously…  The more I bake with others, the more I realize that there is just something about the art of making biscuits that relaxes you. It solves all the worlds problems and brings people together, and that's all before you get to the eating of the biscuits! This year, I knew we had to share this art. The more people making biscuits and having fun doing so, means the more people eating and sharing them with their family and friends. It’s always a win-win for us!

Where can we expect HLB locations to pop up next?

We are working on a super cool pop up in Los Angeles late summer that I'm very excited about! Of course, we will be doing some pop ups in Charlotte to get ready for our newest locations (coming this summer to South End) AND when our food truck comes out in May, I'd love to take it on a road tour (hopefully in NC, SC and GA). NYC is also on my pop up wish-list for the fall… so call me! 

As I mentioned before if you wish to learn how to make biscuits just as I did you can sign up for a class at Callie's.  If making biscuits isn't your thing you can order them online and have them delivered to your door ready to pop in the oven.  They are so good ... and I am so proud to say I made a batch for my family and it definitely won't be the last.  Carrie has inspired me to make biscuits regularly ... I need to get in the habit of making them once a week.  They don't take any time at all and the result is so worth it.

Now I am craving some hot biscuits ... one blackberry + one cinnamon if you please!

images by Angie Webb Creative