If biscuit heaven was a place, I think I found it.
Knoxville, Tennesse- the home of neon orange football jerseys, Mabel, and this former food post– continues to impress me. Having spent the weekend consuming the most delicious olive and scallion hummus and tasting Vietnamese pho for the first time (which, in the words of a friend of mine, tastes like “angel tears”) I thought things couldn’t get better.
That was, until the International Biscuit Festival.
Turning the corner onto Biscuit Boulevard and finding a long stretch of red and white striped tents full of happy people blessing others with hot biscuits-knowing that I could try five of whatever biscuit I chose-was about like how a small child feels staring at a never ending stack of Lucky Charms, candy bars, and free iPads.
From the humming of a biscuit-themed songwriting competition to the smell of fresh dough sizzling in a deep fryer, it was a celebration of what makes Southern food so delicious- the buttery layers of comfort and warmth we lovingly call biscuits.
Since I was forced to choose-one of these biscuit masterminds below made a bonut people- below are my top five favorites. Hopefully these will inspire you to make your own biscuit combos- or visit Knoxville next year and experience it for yourself. I’ll be there-but next year I’ll probably buy two tickets just so I can go through the line twice.
1. Green-Eyed Monster Pimento Cheese Buttermilk Biscuit, Tupelo Honey
2. Andouille Shrimp and Grits Biscuit, Applewood Farm House Restaurant
3. Candied Bacon, House-Cured Clabbered Cream, and Honey and Balsamic Reduction Buttermilk Biscuit, The Plaid Apron
4. Sweet Water Valley Smoked Cheddar and Onion Biscuit, The Tomato Head
5. Family Reserve Drop Biscuits (aka “bonuts”) with Sorghum Whipped Cream and Blueberries, Biscuit Love Truck
Ah…pho. A grat meal. But who new there was a biscuit festival! Maybe this will be my trip to Knoxville next year! All the best to the most wonderful Aldridge women.
It was so good Susan! And the festival is definitely worth a trip; your life will be officially changed for the better! Hope to see you soon!
Great post! I was at the festival and the Tupelo Honey biscuit was my favorite, too!
Thank you so much! Wasn’t that biscuit incredible? Let me know if you figure out how to recreate it at home!