2 cups cornmeal -- any color
1 1/2 cups flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon sugar
1 pinch cayenne pepper
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
4 tablespoons butter
1 egg -- lightly beaten
1 1/4 cups buttermilk
1 spray shortening

| Preheat oven to 425~. In a food processor or large bowl,mix 1 1/2 cups
of the cornmeal with the flour, salt, sugar, cayenne pepper,baking powder
and baking soda. Cut the butter into the dry ingredients until the whole
mixture is the texture of cornmeal. Separately mix the egg with the
buttermilk,and stir all but 2 tbsp. of this liquid into the dry mixture.
Mix just enough to make a uniformly moistened dough. Dust a clean board
with half the remaining cornmeal,and turn the dough out onto the floured
surface. Sprinkle the top with the remaining cornmeal,and with flowered
hands,gently push the dough into a circle about a 1/2" thick. Cut with a
2" or 3" biscuit cutter,and place biscuits close together on a greased
cookie sheet. Brush top of the biscuits with the reserved buttermilk egg
mixture.Bake in the preheated oven until puffed and brown,about 12
minutes. Cool for a few minutes before serving.Yields about 1 dozen
biscuits.