Ingredients:

1½ cups all-purpose flour plus additional for dipping biscuit cutter

1½ tablespoons sugar

1½ teaspoons baking powder

½ teaspoon salt

¼ teaspoon baking soda

2 tablespoons fresh chopped herbs such as chives or dill

½ stick (4 tablespoons) cold unsalted butter, cut into ½-inch cubes

¾ cup well-shaken buttermilk

1 tablespoon cream for brushing biscuits

Directions:

Position oven rack in center and preheat oven to 425°F. Lightly oil a baking sheet.

Sift together flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, and baking soda onto a sheet of wax paper. Sift ingredients once again into a bowl. Fold in fresh herbs. Blend in butter with your fingertips or a pastry blender until mixture resembles coarse meal. Add buttermilk and stir with a fork until dough just comes together (dough will be moist).

Turn dough out onto a well-floured surface and knead gently 6 times. Lightly flour counter again and pat dough, with floured hands, into an 8×5 1/2- inch circle (dough will still be moist and sticky).

Dip a 3-inch round biscuit cutter into flour and cut out circles from the dough, re-dipping cutter after each biscuit has been cut. Lift biscuits from the counter with a metal spatula onto the prepared baking sheet, arranging them 2 inches apart. Brush tops with cream. Bake until pale golden, 12 to 15 minutes. Remove from oven and, using a spatula, transfer biscuits to a cooling rack.

Makes 10-12 biscuits.