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| Yeast Rolls - A True Southern Tradition |
In talking to a vendor friend of mine (Neal Warnick in Seattle, WA) we realized how very very different our growing up eating styles were. No real surprise - Neal grew up in Tacoma, WA just outside of Seattle and I grew up in Dixieland (Memphis, TN).
What really amazed me was that Neal had NEVER heard of "yeast rolls". We were discussing the printed Lunch Menus for school when we were kids which were posted in the Sunday newspaper for the upcoming week. I asked him if his schools also served the awesome yeast rolls like I enjoyed from First Grade to Graduation Day. Color Me Amazed when Neal replied "what are yeast rolls?" To a southern, that's like saying "Who Are The Beatles?" (although there are plenty of 20 somethings that really don't know who the Beatles are these days)....but I digress...
Back to the yeast rolls - Neal said his mom, Saralee, grew up in Norfolk, Virginia (which is SOUTHERN Virginia) and that she'd probably know what they were. (Hello, with a name like Saralee, you can almost bet she knows a bit about baking with yeast!) I challenged him to "find a yeast roll recipe" in the Home Ec Series of cookbooks that I had sent him to review....and then I said NO WAIT! I'll send you my Grandma's Callie Yeast Roll recipe - which is da bombdigitty!! We had it every major holiday we visited at Grandma Musa's home in Memphis, TN, circa 1960's.
I remember her putting the dough in a big 'ol bowl and placing it on the bottom of the stairs leading up to her attic, as that was the warmest place in her house, at that time of year, for them to rise. My sister and I just couldn't resist opening the door to sniff that wonderful aroma that only yeast-based-bread can give you. And then we'd get yelled at...You Girls Close That Door Or They'll Never Rise! (whatever that meant - we didn't know or care - just that they smelled so yummy!)
So, I typed up the recipe and emailed it onto Neal and having done that, I decided why not share it with as many people as possible!
I'd love to hear what YOUR favorite bread memory is - this is def mine - and if you try the rolls, tell me how they turn out for you too!
Enjoy....
Callie Yeast Rolls
Musa Argo (my grandmother) got it from Rebecca Matthews
Vintage 1940’s - Makes 3 dozen
40 Minutes to prep
2 hours to rise (depends on how warm the house is – the warmer the faster it will rise)
10 minutes to roll/cut
2 hours to rise (again, depends on how warm house is)
15 minutes to bake
Ingredients:
¾ Cup solid shortening (like Crisco)
¾ Cup white sugar
1 Cup boiling water
2 Yeast Packets
1 Cut tepid water (lukewarm)
2 eggs
6 Cups All Purpose Flour (UNSIFTED) She always used Dixie brand, but I doubt you have that around up where you are)
1 tsp Salt
Prep:
Mix shortening and sugar, then add cup of boiling water and let cool to lukewarm.
Meanwhile, dissolve the yeast in the cup of tepid water, then add to the shortening, sugar water after it’s cooled to lukewarm.
Beat eggs well and add to mixture.
Sift flour completely one time and then add salt and the rest of the ingredients into the flour.
Stir flour with all ingredients to mix well, but don’t beat excessively.
1st Rising:
Great a large mixing bowl (I like steel) and pour mixture into the bowl. Be sure to grease up to the very top of the bowl, which will help the dough rise better.
Cover with a hand towel, and place in a warm spot in the house to rise.
Work down after 2 hours (should have almost doubled in size) by removing from the bowl and beating and pounding the air out of the dough.
2nd Rising:
Roll out on a very lightly flour dusted surface – the less flour the better.
Cut into biscuits and place on a lightly greased pan to let rise again another 2 hours, or until the biscuits rise to twice the height of the cut.
Baking:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees and place a thin layer of melted Crisco (OR I prefer brushing with real butter) on top of raw biscuits.
Bake for 15 minutes. Watch closely for browning as some ovens cook faster than others.
I only serve them at the table with REAL Butter too…
