These are one of our great hot breads, in great-grandmother's day a family staple. "Take two and butter 'em while they're hot, " is a rule that still applies today.

BAKING - POWDER BISCUITS:

2 c. sifted all-purpose flour
3 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. salt
1/4 c. shortening
3/4 c. milk

Heat oven to 450 degrees. Sift flour, baking powder, and salt into mixing bowl. Cut in shortening with pastry blender until mixture resembles cornmeal. Make well in center; add milk. Stir quickly and lightly with fork just until dough clings together in a ball. Avoid over-handling. Turn dough out on lightly floured board. Knead gently 10 times. Roll dough or pat out with floured hand to 1/2 inch thickness.

Cut biscuits close together with floured 2 inch cutter. Push leftover pieces together; roll out and cut. Transfer biscuits to ungreased cookie sheet with spatula. For crusty sides, place them 1 inch apart; for soft sides, place them close together. Bake 12 to 15 minutes or until golden brown. Serve hot. Makes about 18 biscuits.

Herb Biscuits: Add 1/4 teaspoon dry mustard, 1/2 teaspoon crumbled sage, and 1 1/4 teaspoons caraway seeds to flour-shortening mixture.

Bacon Biscuits: Add 1/3 cup crisply cooked, diced bacon to flour- shortening mixture.

Chive Biscuits: Add 1/4 cup chopped chives to flour-shortening mixture.

Orange Biscuits: Add 2 tablespoons grated orange rind to flour- shortening mixture. Before baking, press a half piece of lump sugar, dipped in orange juice, into top of each biscuit.

Buttermilk Biscuits: Prepare Baking Powder Biscuits, except use buttermilk for sweet milk. Use only 2 teaspoons baking powder; add 1/4 teaspoon baking soda.