✔ Smoked salmon with dilled cream cheese: check.

✔ Great brunch food: check.

? Homemade biscuits, warm from the oven: check?

With all the good bread options available at retail, including refrigerated rolls biscuits, the art of the homemade-from-scratch biscuit is practiced less and less often.

Why not make one Sunday a month Biscuit Sunday, rotating among favorites: baking powder biscuits, buttermilk biscuits, cheddar-chipotle biscuits, cream biscuits, ham biscuits, maple-bacon biscuits, rye biscuits, sausage rolls, sourdough-onion-sundried tomato biscuits, and so forth?

You can find recipes for all of these at KingArthurFlour.com.

It comes to us from Vital Choice, where it was provided by Kevin Lynch of Closet Cooking. Kevin says:

“The dilled buttermilk biscuits came together quickly and filled my place with an amazing dilly aroma while baking. The biscuits are nice and light and go perfectly with the smoked salmon, cream cheese, dill, and watercress filling.”

> Types Of Biscuits

> Types Of Gravy

> More Biscuit Recipes
 
 
RECIPE: DILL BISCUITS WITH SMOKED SALMON, CRESS & DILL SPREAD

This recipe comes to us from Vital Choice, developed by Kevin Lynch of ClosetCooking.com.

With their red-and-green accents, they also make a nice holiday biscuit.

You can also make bite-size versions to serve with red, white or sparkling wine.

Ingredients For 8 Biscuit Sandwiches

For The Biscuits

 
For The Filling

[2] Use fresh dill (photo © Paper Chef).

[3] Smoked Nova Scotia salmon from Zabar’s. Here’s the difference between smoked salmon and lox (photo © Zabar’s).

[4] Cream biscuits. Here’s the recipe from King Arthur Flour (photo © King Arthur Flour).

[5] Ham and smoked Gouda biscuits served with maple butter. Here’s the recipe from the National Pork Board (photo © National Pork Board).

[6] Baking powder biscuits and marmalade (photo © iGourmet.com).

Preparation

1. MAKE the biscuits. Preheat the oven to 425°F.

2. MIX the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a bowl. Mix in the butter and toss until coated in flour. Add the dill and just enough buttermilk to form a sticky dough.

3. PLACE the dough on a lightly floured surface and form a disc about 1 inch thick. Cut the biscuits from the dough and place on a baking sheet. Brush the melted butter on top of the biscuits.

4. BAKE until golden brown, about 18-20 minutes. While the biscuits bake…

5. MAKE the filling. Mix the cream cheese, sour cream, dill and lemon zest in a bowl. When the biscuits are still warm but cool enough to work with…

6. SPREAD the dill on both cut sides of the each biscuit. Assemble with smoked salmon, watercress and optional tomato slice in the the center.
 
 
BUTTERMILK SUBSTITUTE

If you won’t use more than the cup required in this recipe, it may make sense to make your own.

For 1 cup of buttermilk, substitute 2 tablespoons of lemon juice or vinegar plus enough milk to make 1 cup.

But first, here’s what else you can do with leftover buttermilk:

 
 
CHECK OUT THE DIFFERENT TYPES OF BREAD IN OUR
BREAD GLOSSARY

And while you’re at it…

> THE DIFFERENT TYPES OF BUTTER

> THE DIFFERENT TYPES OF JAM & JELLY

Biscuits and rolls are both made from flour, fat (butter, shortening, olive oil), liquid (buttermilk, cream, milk, water), and salt (some rolls do not contain fat).

What’s the difference?

Biscuits are risen with chemical leavening (baking powder); rolls are risen with yeast bread.
 
 

If you can’t cook or want to entertain but can’t be both cook and hostess, you can still serve a feast in your own home—no assistance necessary.

As long as you can turn on the oven, you can serve a splendid repast any meal of the day, thanks to Babeth’s Feast gourmet frozen foods.

You can serve them the day they arrive, or put them in the freezer for future feasting

THE FEAST BEGINS…

Elisbeth, founder of Babeth’s Feast, discovered premium frozen food while living in Paris. French people shop daily for fresh ingredients to cook.

But they also frequent frozen food specialty stores. Elegantly prepared frozen foods enable them to serve more elaborate meals, just by turning on the oven.

To eat at home and entertain friends in style, she began to purchase frozen hors d’oeuvres by the dozen to host effortless cocktail parties. On weekends, she created elaborate brunch buffets from frozen breakfast pastries, meats, soups, quiches and desserts.

She became a champion of the power of flash-frozen foods to provide the flavor, quality, connection and convenience that busy people need.

To these prepared foods she added her own salad and wine, and friends never suspected the food was ready-made. These Sunday gatherings became known as “Babeth’s Feast.”
 
…BUT NOT IN THE U.S.A., UNTIL…

Upon moving to New York, Elisabeth was chagrined that no elegant frozen-food store could be found. She—and the entire European expat community—really missed that easy option.

Ordering in just couldn’t compare, and calling a caterer was cost-prohibitive.

Wanting the ease, the spontaneity and the quality selection, Elisabeth/Babeth decided to bring a premium frozen food store to her new hometown. After careful sourcing and extensive recipe development, she opened Babeth’s Feast, a shop on the Upper East Side.

And on the Internet.

Whether for fancy entertaining or simpler dinners for every day, you can dine as if you had a cook. (You do: Babeth and her team.)

A selection of 300 dishes span breakfast, brunch, lunch, cocktails and dinners.

Brunch with your favorite dishes, and no effort except heating. [2] Fine hors d’oeuvres with cocktails couldn’t be easier (photos courtesy Babeth’s Feast).

And it’s proof that you can’t tell the difference between flash-frozen foods and made-from-scratch (we challenge you, Gordon Ramsay!). They deliver flavor, quality and convenience to fine dining* at home.

So claim full credit for yourself, or let guests in on your secret. Babeth endorses both options.
 
______________
*It doesn’t have to be “fine.” There are plenty of choices for people who prefer mac and cheese, burgers and fries.

Did you make this rack of lamb dinner? Or this family-friendly salmon? Sure you did: You turned on the oven, didn’t you? (Photos courtesy Babeth’s Feast).

We received the gift of an entire feast for THE NIBBLE team:

 
For dinner alone, there are 15 meat and poultry choices, 10 fish and seafood choices, numerous sides from prepared vegetable dishes (Butternut Squash Crumble, Cauliflower Gratin), 10 different types of potatoes, 13 plain vegetables and 11 grains.

Desserts are individual portions, from American favorites like lava cake, chocolate soufflé and lemon meringue tartlets, to French pastries like Opéra Gâteau.

There are dairy-free, gluten-free and vegetarian options.
 
Can’t decide?

There are samplers in every category with the three best-sellers.

You can get servings for one, for a group, and kids portions.
 
HOW TO ENJOY YOUR OWN BABETH’S FEAST

NYC store: 1422 3rd Avenue between 80th and 81st Streets, Manhattan

Website: BabethsFeast.com

Phone: 1.877.968.3327

See more food photos at Facebook.com/BabethsFeast.

It’a a terrific gift for birthdays, anniversaries, new baby parents, new movers, and anyone who’d enjoy fine dining at home.

Mother’s Day, Father’s Day, Valentin’s Day, and other times when you want to spend time with people instead of the stove.

And as a holiday gift?

Just yesterday, as we were describing Babeth’s Feast to a friend, she said: “Give me the URL. [The adult kids] send us Omaha Steaks every year for Christmas and we’d like something else.”

And yes, we’d like MORE!
  

[1] La Poire sparkling cocktail (photo courtesy Grey Goose). [2] America’s favorite pear, the Bartlett (photo courtesy CookThink). There are also red Bartlett and d’Anjou are available in green and red varieties.

This week we had a bottle of Angry Orchard’s Knotty Pear Cider at lunch, and it reminded us that fall is also a time for all things pear.

For a celebration, toast or other special occasion—or weekend chillaxing—this cocktail from Grey Goose is a star. Easy to make, it combines pear and citrus with sweet Moscato. You can use other slightly sweet sparkling wine such as Asti Spumante.

If it isn’t a special occasion, don’t go out of your way to find the perfect garnish. Or a Champagne flute.

 
RECIPE: SPARKLING PEAR VODKA COCKTAIL

Ingredients For 6 Drinks

 
Preparation

1. PEEL and core the pear and cut into 1/4-inch dice.

2. PLACE the lemon juice, sugar, pear and Grey Goose La Poire in a bowl. Stir well to combine until the sugar is fully dissolved.

2. DIVIDE the pear mixture into six Champagne flutes or wine glasses. Fill each chilled glass with Moscato.

3. GARNISH and serve.
 
________________
*A juicier pear variety will accentuate the pear flavors. Here are the different types of pears.

In our childhood, fall meant a choice of pumpkin pie or pumpkin pie. Today, there’s pumpkin everything.

Walk into your favorite food store: You’ll find pumpkin-themed products in every aisle.

Start the day with pumpkin yogurt or a bowl of pumpkin granola, toasted Thomas’ Pumpkin Spice English Muffins and bagels. Wash them down with pumpkin coffee or tea. End the day with pumpkin ice cream. And pumpkin-up everything in-between.

And we haven’t even gotten to the baked goods, from bagels and scones to pumpkin cheesecake.

Some contain actual pumpkin or closely-related squash; others are simply accented with pumpkin pie spices.

Yesterday at Whole Foods, we picked up:

 
Yesterday we covered pumpkin beer. Here are some of our favorite products of the season. Many are limited editions, so don’t dally!
 
PUMPKIN BEVERAGES

Tea

David’s Tea Pumpkin Chai, a black spiced tea, is a customer favorite. It’s fragrant and flavorful, with notes of cardamon, cinnamon, cloves and squash pieces, and a hint of caramel.

David’s recommends stirring in a spoonful of brown sugar and topping it with steamed milk. We drank ours straight.

It’s also available packed in a tin for gift-giving; and herbal Spiced Pumpkin Tea. Take a sip at DavidsTea.com.

You can find Celestial Seasoning’s Sweet Harvest Pumpkin Black Tea at many supermarkets.
 
Coffee

You’ll find everything from caramel, maple and nutty flavors like almond and hazelnut, along with the fall spice flavors: cinnamon, gingerbread, pumpkin spice, snickerdoodle, etc.

Looking for K-Cups? You’ll find plenty of them. We’ve been working our way through Dunkin Donuts Pumpkin Spice at a brisk pace. If you can’t find them locally, head to DunkinAtHome.com.
 
Pumpkin Juice

Natalie’s, our favorite line of all-natural, fresh-squeezed juices, squeezes apples, pears and real pumpkin, blended with cinnamon, ginger and clove. It’s very special.

If you can’t find it locally, contact OrchidIslandJuice.com.
 
PUMPKIN SNACKS & MORE

Pumpkin Yogurt

Pumpkin yogurt abounds, with a shout-out to Noosa Pumpkin Yoghurt, one of our favorites. Stonyfield Organic has Pumpkin Oh My Yog, a tri-layer whole milk yogurt: cream top, honey-infused whole milk yogurt middle, and pumpkin bottom.
 
Salsa & Chips

Mrs. Renfro’s Pumpkin Salsa is a smooth (as opposed to chunky) salsa that is delicious on anything, starting with a sauce for chicken, fish, tofu, grains, potatoes and other vegetables.

For the classic American use—with chips—there are seasonal offerings such Food Should Taste Good’s Fall Harvest Chips, Way Better Snacks Punkin’ Cranberry (yes, that’s how they spell it) and other brands.

We even added it to vodka for an instant Pumpkin Martini.
 
MORE PUMPKIN PRODUCTS TO COME!

[1] Pumpkin Spice coffee from Dunkin Donuts Home. [2] Mrs. Renfro’s Pumpkin Salsa. [3] Pumpkin Apple Spice Juice from Natalie’s. [4] Noosa Pumpkin Yogurt. [5] Thomas Pumpkin English Muffins.

[1] Pumpkin ales and beers can be found from late September through year-end, “while supplies last” (photo courtesy Dogfish Head Brewery. [2] Bake a batch of soft pretzels to go with the beer (photo courtesy Taste Of Home).

1. Spaten Lager
2. Spaten Oktoberfest
3. Goose Island Oktoberfest
4. Franziskaner Hefe-weisse
5. Coney Island Freaktobefest
6. New Belgian Cranberry Pumpkin
7. Two Roads No Limits Hefeweizen
8. Captain Lawrence Pumpkin
9. Victory Fest Beer
10. BitBurger Pilsner
11. Bells Best Brown
12. Southern Tier PUMPKING
13. Warsteiner Oktoberfest
14. Badass Apple Cider
15. Atwater Blueberry Cobbler
16. Dogfish Head Pumpkin Patch
 
They’ll be served with German-inspired foods, from brats and soft pretzels to schnitzel hoagies.

While we don’t gamble, we do drink craft beer; and we’ve had only one beer on the list. The solution was simple:
 
HAVE AN OKTOBERFEST CRAFT BEER TASTING PARTY

 
While the original Oktoberfest in Munich runs for two weeks, through mid-October, you can hold a party anytime in October.

 
________________
*Harvest ale is not a defined style of beer, but a common name for different beers brewed for fall harvest celebrations and general consumption.

HOW TO PLAN THE OKTOBERFEST PARTY

1. DETERMINE THE ATTENDEES. Then determine how much beer you need. If you’re not buying all the beer yourself assign a brand to each person. The easiest way to do this is to have attendees scout out options and let you know what they’d like to contribute.

Provide juice glasses or 4-ounce disposable cups. The idea is to taste smaller amounts of 10 beers, not to drink 10 bottles of beer.

2. DECIDE ON THE FOOD. Brats, sauerkraut, soft pretzels (recipe) and mustard will do the trick. If anyone asks if they can bring food, German potato salad, Blaukraut (red cabbage sauerkraut) or a dessert (see #4 below). Or, they can bake soft pretzels. Here’s more about Oktoberfest food.

3. BUFFET OR SIT-DOWN? The choice is yours. Be sure to have soft drinks, a non-alcoholic cider or punch, or other alternative to keep blood alcohol levels down.

4. DECIDE ON DESSERT. Easy-to-make or -find desserts include the Berliner (a jelly donut sprinkled with powdered sugar), Black Forest cake, carrot cake, cheesecake here’s a no-bake pumpkin cheesecake), Gugelhupf (Bundt cake—here’s an apple streusel Bundt cake recipe), Lebkuchen (spice cookies—gingerbread is fine, along with a gingerbread dip), Linzer cookies or torte, pfeffernüsse (spice cookies with black pepper), strudel, stollen (fruitcake) and our favorite German treat, chocolate-covered marzipan.

5. PLAY GERMAN MUSIC. See if anyone already has Oktoberfest music (there’s plenty of it on Amazon). Polka music, which originated in Bohemia (the modern Czech Republic), will also work. If you’d prefer German rock, here are the Top 10 German rock bands.

6. BONUS: Consider a small prize for the best German folk clothing: Lederhosen or a dirndl skirt and apron.

Some German mustard or Weisswurst†, perhaps?
 
________________
†Weisswurst is the famous Bavarian white sausage made from ground veal and pork.

[3] Freaktoberfest Pumpkin Ale adds a layer of flavor with espresso beans (photo courtesy Coney Island Brewing Company). [4] You can even find cranberry beer, like this lambic from Samuel Adams (photo courtesy Boston Brewing Company).