Papa’s Stand Mixer

I have always been a whisk and wooden spoon baker, but after 30 years of rheumatoid arthritis, my elbow and shoulder joints have been damaged, and I can no longer make pie crust, bread dough, or — the worst, according to my granddaughter — chocolate chip cookies– without significant pain that lasts for several days.

Those who know me know I love to bake, and after a particularly painful session making buttermilk biscuits with my 7 year old overnight guest, she asked me the logical question, “Grandma, why don’t you have a mixer like Papa?”

What a Difference

Good question, and I’ve forgotten the answer, so a few months ago I ordered the miniature version of my son’s bright red stand mixer — a KitchenAid Artisan Mini 3.5 Quart Tilt-Head Stand Mixer.

That purchase has been a game changer for me. Cutting cold butter into the flour mixture is now a breeze with the whisk attachment, and the last stage when the dough is really stiff is easily accomplished with the dough hook. We made biscuits for breakfast last weekend, and were so happy with the new method, we moved on to chocolate chip cookies in the afternoon.

It may seem like a simple change, but for me to give up my image as the back-to-the-land woman and sing the praises of an electric appliance is actually a very big thing. My son has never been a believer in my old fashioned approach to cooking and baking, and he’s an amazing foodie. So I decided to give up my long-held stance as a from-scratch hand tools baker and bite the bullet.

Incorporating a stand mixer (and an Instant Pot and even an electric can opener) into my life has made cooking and baking a joy again. And that is amazing.

Grandma's Old-Fashioned Buttermilk Biscuits

Cook Time 15

Servings 8 large biscuits

Ingredients

2 1/2 cups flour
1 Tbsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
1/2 cup butter cut into small pieces
1 cup buttermilk or 1/2 cup yoghurt blended with 1/2 cup milk
1 egg whipped to brush on biscuits before baking

Instructions

Preheat oven to 450 degrees F
Using the whisk attachment on low, combine flour, baking powder and salt.
Turn up to medium speed, then cut butter into flour mixture until evenly distributed. (My mother always said it should look like cornmeal).
Change the whisk attachment for the dough hook. Using medium speed again, slowly add the buttermilk until the dough comes together. You might have to stop the mixer a couple of times to scrape flour from the sides and bottom of the bowl. If the dough is still sticky, add a tablespoon or more of flour. If it's too dry, add a little more milk.
Take the dough out of the bowl and off the hook and turn it onto a lightly floured surface. It shouldn't be too sticky. With your fingers or a rolling pin, spread the dough out until it is 3/4 inch to an inch in thickness. This is important if you want to be able to split the biscuits before eating. Use a 2 1/2 inch cookie or biscuit cutter or a glass to cut out the biscuits. Gently reform the dough, roll out and cut the remaining biscuits.
Bake for 14-16 minutes until browned

Cancer Note:

I don’t want to turn this space into a cancer blog, but several of you have asked how I’m doing, especially given it’s been three months since I posted anything here. It’s been a very busy summer; lots of doctor’s appointments, some wonderful visits from friends, and many hours spent with the two granddaughters who live nearby. I’m doing well, actually, although I’ve had to adjust to nearly constant fatigue and brain fog. I’ve been studying the latter and it would make an interesting blog post — not sure if I want to go there or not. What do you think? I recently had a PET scan and I meet with my oncologist today. Hopefully I’ll get a reading from him then as to how I am doing. Thanks for all your good wishes! Marlene

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Marlene Anne Bumgarner writes primarily about food, family, and traditions. Her 2020 memoir, Back to the Land in Silicon Valley, is about raising children, animals, and vegetables on a rural plot of land in the 1970s. Organic Cooking for (not-so-organic) Families will be out soon, and she’s now working on an update to The Book of Whole Grains while also crafting a cozy mystery, Death on a Sunny Afternoon – a Harriet Palmer Mystery..