Photo by Jesse Hendrix-Inman
Invented by G.L. Wainscott and bottled in Winchester since 1926, Kentucky’s soft drink, Ale-8-One, adds a hint of ginger-citrus sparkle to biscuits. Recipe courtesy of Janine Washle of CloverFields Farm & Kitchen.
Ingredients:
2½ cups self-rising flour
½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
¼ teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons chopped thyme
½ stick (4 tablespoons) unsalted butter, very cold and cut into cubes
½ cup Ale-8-One
¼ cup milk
3 tablespoons melted butter
Preparation:
1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Pour flour into a large bowl. Add pepper, salt and thyme.
2. Cut butter into flour until pea-size pieces form. Stir in Ale-8-One and milk just until dry ingredients are moist. Turn out onto a lightly floured surface.
3. Using fingertips, knead just until mass holds together. Pat out dough with fingertips to 1¼-1½ inches, making sure to pat down the center and shore up the edges to create an even surface.
4. Cut into biscuits using a 2-inch cutter or cut down on waste by simply cutting into 8 squares.
5. Place on parchment paper-lined baking sheet. Bake 15-17 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from oven.
6. Brush tops with melted butter. Serve hot.