5 O’Clock Biscuits

November 6th, 2008

The I Hate to Cook Book

Peg Bracken

1960

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My friend Susan called me last week and proclaimed: “I have re-discovered the smoked oyster, they are fabulous and you must go out and get some!”  Because I always do exactly as Susan tells me (she is small but she is fierce) I went out and bought two tins of smoked oysters.  Then I called her.  “I got them!”I announced proudly and then read her the list of ingredients.  “No,” she said firmly.  “My oysters only have oysters in them, you have to get a different brand.”  Because I always do exactly as Susan tells me, even if I can’t see the point, I went out and got more oysters.  Once the list of ingredient (s) was approved, I set out to find a recipe.  Susan prepares her smoked oysters with scrambled eggs and spinach, which I admit sounds tasty, but I had a feeling that a food as convenient as smoked oysters in a tin had to have a mid-century application.  And lo there it was, the 5 O’Clock Biscuit in Peg Bracken’s book.

The recipe (if it can be called that) requires only the oysters and a package of tube-type refrigerated biscuits.  You cut the biscuits in half, top each with an oyster, fold, seal, brush with oil from the oyster tin and bake.  I think that tube biscuits from 1960 must have been much smaller because Bracken says to cook them at 450 degrees for 8 minutes.  The biscuits I bought were about the size of my fist and took about 18 minutes to cook.  Then I had to shave off the burnt bottoms because 450 was way too high.  No matter, they were extremely tasty and perfect with a cold glass of Sauvignon Blanc.

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2 Responses to “5 O’Clock Biscuits”

  1. 1 Alexis
    November 6th, 2008 at 1:37 pm

    Wow, those look good!

  2. 2 Charlie Schachter
    November 12th, 2008 at 7:57 am

    Hi Alison –

    I’m Susan’s brother. She sent me a link to your site, and I just wanted you to know how much I enjoyed reading it. I also love old cookbooks, so I felt an immediate kinship with you. In fact,I wanted to see if you have a copy of one of my all-time favorites: Bull Cook and Authentic Historical Recipes and Pracices by George Leonard Herter (last printed in 1969). If you haven’t seen this book before, I highly suggest running out and getting it immediately. It one of the most unusual and entertaining cookbooks you will ever read. From how to clean a turtle to how to make your own wine, this book is filled with the most unusual and strange recipes you’ve ever seen. Plus, the author has an amazingly arrogant and authoritative voice that is beyond belief. Enjoy!

    Regards,
    Charlie.

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