Suzanne is wearing the J.McLaughlin Madeline Silk Blouse and Marlee Pants. 

 Photo by Mark Staff.

Meet: Suzanne Pollak

Author, Entertainer, Chef, Mother.

Suzanne, the co-founder of The Charleston Academy of Domestic Pursuits has been our go-to source for all things cooking and baking over the past few months. Her weekly Zoom cocktail classes are a favorite of our Vice President Of Marketing, Jack. 

Next month, Suzanne is launching a new online course about one of her favorite delights - all things carbs! In the nine week-long Carbs 101 course, you will learn how to make everything from your own loaf of bread to the perfect breakfast pancakes. 

Below, we asked Suzanne to share one of her iconic recipes with us, the Southern Biscuit.

We call our biscuit a “criscuit” behind the scenes because it’s a cross between a refined croissant and a plucky little biscuit with a can-do attitude. Friend to every meal and will even do appetizer duty if you only ask. The criscuit’s wide-open smile stands ready to accommodate melted butter or ham and mustard. He just wants to be loved. 

Dough can be made ahead, rolled and cut 24 hours ahead, or frozen. 

Makes about 9 biscuits 

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cup flour
• 2 teaspoons baking powder 
• 1/2 teaspoon coarse salt
• 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper 
• 5 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into 5 pieces
• 3/4 cup whole buttermilk 

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 500. 
2. Whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt, and baking soda. Using two knives or a pastry blender, cut the butter into the flour until it forms pee-size pieces. 
3. Add the buttermilk and stir with a wooden spoon until the dough almost forms a dough. 
4. Place the dough on a silicone baking mat and begin folding up the sides, right and left, until a ball forms. Using a rolling pin, roll out the dough to a 1/2 inch thickness. Fold one side of the dough into the center and then fold in the other side. Roll out again and refold in the same manner three to six times. (Each roll and fold creates flaky layers within your biscuits.) Roll out one final time until the dough is 3/4 inch thick. 
5. Cut out biscuits with a 2-inch biscuit cutter or inverted glass.
6. Place the biscuits on a nonstick baking sheet. Gather the scrapes, reroll, and cut out more biscuits until all of the dough has been used. (At this point, you can cover the unbaked biscuits with plastic wrap and refrigerate for up to 24 hours, or alternatively freeze for a month.) 
7. Bake until lightly browned on the top and bottom, 10 - 12 minutes. 
8. (Bake frozen biscuits at 425 for 25 minutes.) 

Photo by Landon Phillips.

Thank you Suzanne for sharing this wonderful recipe with us! Be sure to follow Suzanne @charlestonacademy and sign up for her Carbs101 course. 

If you're interested in more recipes, enjoy the taste of fall with these six creative apple recipes.