

Biscuits in Bama
Season 2 Episode 4 | 24m 31sVideo has Audio Description, Closed Captions
Carrie heads to Birmingham to swap recipes and prepare for big milestones.
Carrie heads to Birmingham to swap biscuit and cake recipes. She visits with her first business mentor, gets a Civil Rights history tour, and makes pimento cheese. They visit the University of Alabama to see if it’s the right college for Caroline.
See all videos with Audio DescriptionADProblems with Closed Captions? Closed Captioning Feedback
Problems with Closed Captions? Closed Captioning Feedback

Biscuits in Bama
Season 2 Episode 4 | 24m 31sVideo has Audio Description, Closed Captions
Carrie heads to Birmingham to swap biscuit and cake recipes. She visits with her first business mentor, gets a Civil Rights history tour, and makes pimento cheese. They visit the University of Alabama to see if it’s the right college for Caroline.
See all videos with Audio DescriptionADProblems with Closed Captions? Closed Captioning Feedback
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Learn Moreabout PBS online sponsorship<Carrie> I'm here in Birmingham to do a little bit of my cookbook tour, but I'm also here just to do a little soul searching and to take a quick break from work and visit friends.
>> Carrie...Hey!
<Carrie> I really need to pick your brain.
<Annie> What you're describing as a problem I see as a huge opportunity.
<Carrie> We're going to take a little day trip down to Tuscaloosa.
I am in complete denial that Caroline is going to college.
That's a butter river right there.
This is a connection.
♪ opening music ♪ <Carrie> I took my mom's best recipe and started selling handmade Southern biscuits.
Now, I'm balancing a family, a business and biscuits every day.
Thank you so much.
I'm Carrie Morey.
And this is How I Roll.
♪ ♪ <Becky Satterfield> Hey there.
I'm Becky Satterfield and I own Satterfield's Fine Dining Restaurant.
>> Are we busy tonight?
<Employee> Tonight, we got 40 coming in.
A couple of big parties.
<Becky> I went to Charleston for a conference.
We'd heard a lot about Callie's Hot Little Biscuits and so we lined up and got our biscuits and started following her and I mean, what's not to love?
You know?
<Carrie> I'm excited to meet Becky and bake some biscuits with her.
<Becky> Hey there.
<Carrie> Hi!
>> How are you?
I'm so excited, <Carrie> I'm great.
<Becky> making biscuits with you.
<Carrie> My favorite thing to do.
<Becky> Mine too.
<Carrie> And I hear you are the master.
<Becky> Well, I'm pretty good.
But you're great.
<Carrie> Oh, wow.
So, Becky, I know everybody has their own special way to make biscuits.
So, I've been hearing rave reviews about yours and I'm feeling very honored to be in your kitchen.
<Becky> I'm very honored to have you here.
<Carrie> You're so sweet.
Well, will you take me through all the steps and maybe we can share some biscuits and do this together?
<Becky> Oh yeah.
Sure, sure, sure.
<Carrie> You have frozen butter.
Grate it on this silpat.
I'm gonna scrape this out.
<Carrie> Okay <Becky> We're gonna put it in the freezer for 10 minutes.
<Carrie> Perfect.
There is a very strong camp of people that believe that frozen grated butter will produce a more tender, lighter, airier, butterier, taller biscuit.
<Becky> There we go.
I'll put the flour in.
So, I'm putting a tablespoon of sugar in there.
<Carrie> They have a salty sweet taste.
<Becky> Mhm.
Mhm.
<Carrie> Very nice.
May I help you?
All of it?
<Becky> Yes.
♪ <Carrie> Full fat buttermilk?
<Becky> Yes.
<Carrie> Nice.
I love this because you can see the strands of butter.
<Becky> Yes.
<Carrie> You know it's going to be perfect.
<Becky> They're peeping out.
<Carrie> Perfect.
I like a wetty, tacky, sticky dough.
<Becky> I do too, because it's gonna make a better biscuit.
<Carrie> Yeah I need to get like... And then I'll do it about five times rotating it and rolling it out.
<Carrie> Okay.
<Becky> It's a very comforting experience when you're touching the dough.
That's very tactile.
I love it.
Look how pretty that is.
<Carrie> I know.
It is so pretty.
♪ Perfect, and they just tuck <Becky> Uh huh!
<Becky> So, now, we'll do it.
<Carrie> 475.
<Becky> Yes.
475.
Middle rack, you know, there's always a connectivity between two biscuit makers or 10.
You know, we all love them, and we love making them and serving them and smelling them and all of that.
So, it's just.
It's wonderful.
<Carrie> Perfection.
<Becky> Look at the yellow.
<Carrie> Yeah, I can see the yellow of the butter.
<Becky> Oh wow!
<Carrie> Oh, that's my favorite part that little river.
<Becky> Yeah.
That's a butter river right there.
<Becky> Yeah <Carrie> Masterpiece.
♪ <Carrie> Oh!
<Becky> It is darn good.
Oh, this is so good, y'all.
<Carrie> It is so tender on the inside.
<Becky> Mmm.
See that's a good flour.
<Carrie> Down pillow like melting in my mouth.
That is why we will always be friends, because this is a connection <Becky> That's right.
<Carrie> When you bake or cook for somebody... <Becky> I agree.
<Carrie> There's no better gift.
<Becky> I agree.
Mmm.
♪ <Carrie> One of my must see and do things while I'm in Birmingham is to go downtown and visit the area that was so instrumental in the Civil Rights Movement.
♪ <Charles Woods III> Right here, we're in front of the 16th Street Baptist Church.
It was originally known as the first Colored Baptist Church of Birmingham.
In 1963, September 15th, they say about 10 sticks of dynamite was put outside of this building.
And at 10:22 am, that bomb went off and five little girls were blown up.
Four of them lost their lives.
♪ That bombing really changed the course of the Civil Rights Movement.
You know, a lot of people that didn't want to get involved, they started to get involved when they saw little children die at church.
Sadly, it does take tragedy to kind of open people's eyes.
♪ <Carrie> When Charles was showing me and telling me about the 16th Street Baptist Church, it immediately reminded me of our own church in Charleston, Emanuel, and a similar situation happened less than 10 years ago.
While I feel that we have come so far, that tells me that tells me that we still have so much further to go.
♪ Everybody has a voice, right?
<Charles> Right.
<Carrie> So, I'm always thinking about what can I do as a White female business owner.
You know, I'm reading, I'm learning, I'm listening.
but I think that's an important thing to be constantly asking yourself and seeing how you can help with the movement to equality because we're not there yet?
<Charles> We're not there yet.
What makes me hopeful is that people are starting to step out of their own comfort zones and their own boxes and starting to see that there's much more to the world outside of their own circle, or their own box, and if Birmingham can change then anywhere can change.
<Carrie> I think that I know a lot about what went on during the Civil Rights Movement, and I know just a little bit.
<Charles> One thing I'll point out really quickly as we move into Kelly Ingram Park is the brick pattern that you see all throughout the Civil Rights district.
Each one of the bricks is representing one of the races of the world, and the interlocking of the bricks is how during the movement, they would walk and interlock their arms in the marches.
So, it's representative of all of that.
As we walk towards the Martin Luther King Jr.
Statue, I want to point out these roses that they have in front of his statue.
These are Coretta Scott King roses.
<Carrie> Wow!
<Charles> Right.
So, the roses are named after his wife.
These roses are strategically placed right here in front of his statue as she overlooks him and protects him.
King came to Birmingham in 1963, at the request of fellow Southern Christian Leadership member, Reverend Fred Shuttlesworth, and they wanted to confront the segregation here in the city of Birmingham.
King is in 16th Street Baptist Church, right!
the hub of the movement, He tells that full crowd, we can break Birmingham, all we have to do is fill the jails.
That is a tactic because once the jails are filled, now you have to listen to my grievance.
During this time period, Black people could not try on clothes at department stores, and if you bought that clothing, you could not bring that clothing back after you took it home or realized it didn't fit.
So, they were able to fill the jails and they were able to negotiate with the business leaders of downtown, Birmingham to take down the White and Colored signs.
They changed some of those rules, and some of those laws that were really demeaning to the character of an African American living in this, in this period in the city of Birmingham.
<Carrie> Ah.
Wow!
That's amazing.
I tell my children snippets of what it was like, and they just can't even understand it.
They can't believe it.
<Charles> What people really don't understand is that, it really wasn't not that long ago.
<Carrie> It is so important for me to continually educate myself about the Civil Rights Movement, because I think the more that you learn and know the more you can do to make a change.
♪ When I come to Birmingham, Brian and Ashley are the people that I call before I come, when I'm planning my trips.
♪ <Brian> Hello!
<Carrie> How are you?
<Brian> I love when you come to Birmingham <Carrie> Have dough, will travel.
(laughs) How about that?
<Ashley> Carrie, hey.
I'm glad you're here!
<Carrie> Good to see you.
I needed this!
I needed this today.
<Brian> I am the President and Chief Creative Officer for Hoffman Media and I oversee all of our culinary and lifestyle brands.
I met Carrie for the very first time at a hands-on biscuit class at her production bakery in Charleston.
When fun people find each other, there's an instant connection.
<Ashley> That sounds like a good plan!
My name is Ashley McMakin.
And I own Ashley Mac's in Birmingham.
I am a wife, mom, and business owner.
We have a lot in common with being working moms and just hit it off right away, so.
<Carrie> All right.
Let's get to baking.
What kind of cake are we making?
<Brian> Have you ever had hummingbird cake?
<Carrie> I have not.
Okay, so this is just all-purpose flour?
<Brian> All-purpose flour, and the reason it's not sifted is we're gonna whisk our spices and sugars in here all at once.
>> Can I do that, Brian?
<Brian> Yeah, do it!
Go for it!
>> What is in here?
<Brian and Ashley> Cinnamon, nutmeg.
<Brian> Oh, you're guessing.
<Ashley> I'm just guessing.
<Brian> Do it.
<Ashley> Cinnamon, nutmeg, baking soda, salt.
<Brian> Yes.
It's like you... <Ashley> It's like I might do this for a living.
<Brian> It's like you cook every now and again.
Carrie, look at you.
You're doing a great job <Carrie> I'm a good whisker.
<Brian> Granulated sugar.
<Carrie> Ah whisk, whisk, whisk.
<Brian> And then we'll get the brown sugar.
<Carrie> Moist, moist.
<Brian> Moist that I kept covered.
All right, you ready for your side?
<Ashley> Yeah <Brian> First, mash the banana with the fork.
<Carrie> I'm not sure we're ready.
I gotta get... <Brian> Yeah, break up those clumps <Ashley> I'm assuming you want very ripe bananas.
These look good.
<Brian> These bananas have been sitting on my counter for two weeks.
So mashed banana, <Ashley> Alright.
<Brian> then... <Ashley> Pineapple?
<Brian> Crushed pineapple that you've drained the juice.
So go ahead.
I've already done that for you.
Okay, let's put some vanilla extract in here.
We have three eggs that are room temperature egg in... and then we're gonna add a neutral oil.
<Carrie> All right, I think your dry is ready.
<Ashley> Okay.
Dry ingredients, wet ingredients.
<Carrie> Mhmm.
<Brian> Do you want to whisk as I pour?
Here we go.
You're just wanting to get a nice combination of those ingredients.
♪ All right, let me check.
I'll check your work.
<Ashley> Okay, make sure I got it all.
<Brian> Perfect.
Just take about a third of the batter into the cake pan.
I always do this to get a nice even layer.
♪ <Carrie> Brian's hummingbird cake.
<Brian> Yeah.
I like it.
♪ <Ashley> Yum!
<Carrie> Beautiful!
<Ashley> It turned out so pretty.
<Brian> In the bowl, cream cheese, which you know, we have this shared love of cream cheese and there's some butter.
All right, so I'm just gonna let this combine slowly.
And then I'm going to start adding this confectioner's sugar slowly.
Then I'm adding crème fraîche.
And if you don't have crème fraîche, you can either do just a like plain cream cheese and it's still amazing.
<Ashley> Okay.
<Brian> Or you can add a little sour cream.
I'm just going to let that combine and then again, just keep gradually adding and this is where patience pays off.
♪ <Carrie> I'm not surprised that Brian made a hummingbird cake and he whipped it up from scratch right there.
That would have taken me days to plan, and that's what I love about Brian is that he's just... he's magical in the kitchen.
<Ashley> It's so good.
<Carrie> It is perfect.
<Ashley> Really good.
This icing is incredible.
<Carrie> Mmm hmm ♪ <Carrie> Today, I am going to go sit down and have coffee with my friend Annie.
<Annie> Hey!
<Carrie> Hi!
<Annie> Welcome to Bama.
<Carrie> I always see her when I come to Birmingham, and we always have a good time.
<Annie> I'm an entrepreneur.
I just love starting and creating something from nothing.
<Carrie> I really need to pick your brain about business because you know, finances aren't my strength, my strong suit.
I know Annie because she was my first professional real boss, she gave me my first job as a sales rep for a coupon book company that she had started.
♪ You know, in New York, we had all the right people on the bus.
You know, we had great marketing.
We had business development, like all of that, our executive team.
And that is what our team is missing is like some true experts to help us take it to the next level.
<Annie> But it's out there, and there are so many amazing people.
<Carrie> I just don't know how to find it and I want my focus to be building the brand.
<Annie> The people side of it.
You're going to attract.
Just your energy and passion and work ethic, you're going to attract a great team.
It's just, there's a ton of talent out there.
My biggest thing would be numbers.
I know in detail side of it.
<Carrie> I need an expert that I can hold accountable for the numbers... because we do not have that.
<Annie> First thing you need to do also, and I've learned this too because I'm not a detail person.
But the first thing is you should sit down and learn more about the details of every, of all the numbers, so you can pick and it'll be a bit of a painful exercise, but somebody that will take you through step by step, every item, and I think you're gonna find that.
You have a goldmine, and you can take it to levels of... if you want to go to the 100 million plus, or you can stay as are, which I consider what you're doing now, a lifestyle business.
Making great money, raising a beautiful family, and a lot of people decide that.
♪ <Carrie> Such an interesting part about being in businesses is as you grow, you think "Oh, she's got an established business, she's killing it".
It's not like that.
There's always these moments that you need somebody to help push you over and say, "You got this, like, keep going".
You know, one of the biggest things that we're dealing with is our, our production facility our house that you've seen, is we're busting at the seams.
And so, I can put some capital in to building a new facility, but we're still going to be making them at the same rate, or I can try to find a partner that can make them faster.
And that is a question that I don't have the answer to.
<Annie> Because?
<Carrie> Well because I worry that if I'm not in control of making the biscuits, is the quality going to be there?
And we've been talking to these big box stores, and they want... they're telling us we've got POs for you, we're ready for you to have a space in our... but I can't make them, I can't make them.
<Annie> I mean, there are solutions to this stuff.
What you're describing as a problem, I see as a huge opportunity.
<Carrie> When you're in the thick of being in business, you don't always look at it from more than one perspective.
There's so much stress, but to be able to speak to somebody who has an outside opinion, it gives me hope.
You're lifting me up a little bit and I really appreciate that.
♪ My oldest daughter Caroline is deciding where she wants to go to school.
So, we're going to take a little day trip down to Tuscaloosa and visit Alabama.
What is your criteria for choosing where you want to go to college?
<Caroline> Football?
<Carrie> Football?
Yep, you love football.
<Caroline> Nice dorms.
<Carrie> Nice dorms?
I don't know that any college has nice dorms.
<Caroline> You went there in the 1900s.
So... <Carrie> I did not go in the 1900s.
<Caroline> You did.
<Carrie> I went like, you know, 20 years ago.
<Caroline> You went in 2000?
♪ <Carrie> When I knew that we were gonna go on college tours and come to Alabama.
I thought of Ashley first and I called her and I said, "Would you do me this huge favor and go with us on this tour?"
♪ I am in complete denial that Caroline is going to college, and I don't think that I am allowing myself to think about it yet because I just can't go there.
I mean, I'm excited for her, but I'm not ready to let her go.
♪ <Ashley> Okay, so this is the Business School.
<Carrie> Oh, this is.
Okay.
<Ashley> I wanted to show y'all this because this is where I spent all my time, all my classes.
<Carrie> So, you majored in business.
<Ashley> I majored in business.
>> Did you know I was an elementary education major?
<Ashley> What?
No, I did not know that.
<Carrie> I never used it a day in my life.
<Ashley> So, do you think you would ever want to major in business?
Take over your mom's business?
<Caroline> Um, I would...
I don't know if I'd major...
If I majored in business, I don't know if I would take over your business, so.
(laughs) <Carrie> I want you to have your own thing.
<Caroline> Yeah.
I would start my own thing for sure.
<Carrie> Yeah, I think you know, passion is the key, <Ashley> Right.
<Carrie> to, in my opinion being successful in business, so I don't...
I think it's so important to have your children do what they are passionate about.
<Ashley> Right.
<Carrie> You can have your own dreams.
<Caroline> Yes.
(laughs) <Caroline> Um, this school is insane.
It's insane for sure.
It's huge, but it's so nice and pretty.
<Carrie> So, this is the K.D.
house.
<Ashley> There's the K.D.
house.
Now remind me where you were a K.D.
<Carrie> I was a K.D.
at the University of South Carolina, <Ashley> Okay!
>> which is one of the places she's considering.
<Ashley> Yes, I know!
We've got to talk her into Bama, right Lou?
<Lou> Yeah!
(laughs) <Carrie> I was the president of Kappa Delta which, you know my girls always make fun of me for.
Let's take a pic.
But you know it's like... it's like being the leader of a business organization.
I never thought when I was the president that it would lead to something else like, you know, running your own business but they're very similar.
<Caroline> Are you crying?
<Carrie> No, but I'm thinking about it.
(laughing) <Ashley> Big football school.
Are you a football fan?
<Caroline> Yeah <Carrie>> Huge!
<Caroline> Yeah <Ashley> Oh okay.
<Carrie> Huge, like knows everything about football.
<Ashley> Hello!
<Carrie> Yes.
<Ashley> This is the school for you!
<Carrie> Yes.
♪ Wow!
I'm really proud of you.
And I'm in complete disbelief that we are in this space because I still look at you as this little squishy baby, but I hope you know that no matter what I'm always here for you.
You know?
<Caroline> Thank you.
<Carrie> And if you want me to move to you, your college town, I'll do that for you.
I'm just kidding.
You're gonna do great.
I don't worry about you, Lou.
<Caroline> Thank you.
<Carrie> You got this!
Today I am coming to Ashley Mac's and doing a book signing but also, I get to hang out with Ashley.
We're going to make some pimento cheese together.
<Ashley> Carrie has a pimento cheese.
Lots of southern girls have pimento cheeses, and it'll be fun just to talk about the things that we do similar and different.
So, I'm excited about it.
We both love pimento cheese.
<Carrie> I mean, I can literally put it on anything.
<Ashley> Same.
I don't know what it is about pimento cheese in the south, but everyone loves it.
My grandfather was the first person that introduced me to pimento cheese.
<Carrie> Is this his recipe?
<Ashley> This is his recipe.
<Carrie> Oh I can't wait!
<Ashley> Sharp cheddar.
That's his secret.
<Carrie> White and... <Ashley> Yup.
>> Yellow <Ashley> I have sharp white and sharp yellow.
<Carrie> Is it equal parts of both?
<Ashley> I do equal parts of both.
<Carrie> Okay.
<Ashley> Yup, and... <Carrie> Do you still hand grate it?
<Ashley> I love that.
I think it makes a big difference.
<Carrie> I agree.
Obviously, some pimentos.
<Ashley> Some pimentos.
<Carrie> A lot of pimento cheeses don't make that full commitment to the pimento.
<Ashley> And mine is, I don't know how you would describe it.
It's not super pimentoey.
(laughs) Is that a word?
<Carrie> Well, ...amount in there, and you obviously put some spices in.
>> Secret spices.
<Carrie> Okay secret spices.
Do you want me to help you?
<Ashley> I'm sure you can guess what's in there, but um, yeah.
<Ashley and Carrie> Cracked black pepper <Ashley> is <Carrie> Black pepper is important.
And do you put salt?
<Ashley> I do not do salt.
No, I don't.
<Carrie> Okay.
Good.
<Ashley> And then just a few pinches of that secret spice.
<Carrie> Of the secret spice.
<Ashley> Secret spice.
<Carrie> Oh <Ashley> Perfect.
<Carrie> Uh wow.
Yeah, I know what that is.
<Ashley> Pretty good.
<Carrie> Any lemon?
<Ashley> I do just a little squeeze of lemon juice.
<Carrie> I like that a little acid in there and I bet it preserves it, too.
<Ashley> Yes.
It does.
Yes.
And you want to give that a stir?
<Carrie> Yeah.
You know every good Southerner has a great pimento cheese recipe.
So, it's fun to see everybody's rendition.
This is very similar to mine in that you can see the strands.
<Ashley> I felt like this is a true southern pimento cheese.
<Carrie> It's time for the eating.
<Ashley> I mean what else would you rather cheers to?
♪ <Ashley> Mmm <Carrie> Delicious.
♪ We had to do this cover shoot three times.
Do you know hard it to get your whole family in a photograph?
(Ashley moans) <Ashley> I can't believe this is your second one.
I mean, gosh.
♪ <Carrie> All right.
I think we're ready.
<Ashley> Yeah!
♪ <Carrie> Hi!
<Woman 1> Tina Birdie, It's nice to meet you.
<Carrie> Nice to meet you.
<Woman 2> So glad to see you.
Oh my gosh.
<Jennifer and Kate> Hi!
Nice to meet you!
<Carrie> Oh, nice to meet you.
I'm Carrie.
<Jennifer> I'm Jennifer.
<Kate> I'm Kate.
<Carrie> I love meeting people that love to cook and that are inspired by my recipes.
So, it's really fun, for me.
This is my favorite part.
It's separated by season and weeknights and weekends.
<Woman 3> Well, the main thing, it's got the biscuits.
<Carrie> It has the biscuits.
It has the biscuits, a whole chapter.
<Woman 1> We got a package from our friends.
It was a bunch of different biscuits and the pimento cheese which I have absolutely fallen in love with.
<Carrie> There are many years where I would say, "Is anybody buying these biscuits?"
So, to be able to meet them and be in a totally different part of the country and have people tell me that is a huge honor.
<Jennifer> We loved your store.
We got to go last spring break.
<Carrie> Oh fun!
<Kate> And I'm going in April.
<Carrie> When people tell me that they've been to Hot Little Biscuit, it never gets old or that they love my biscuits or that they saw them in a grocery store, like you can't tell me that enough.
Please help yourself.
Yeah.
And this is Ashley Mac's pimento cheese that we're serving today.
Is it a gift?
Or are you keeping it for yourself?
<Man 1> No, I'm keeping it for myself.
<Carrie> A gift to you I need all the help that I can get.
<Carrie> This is the perfect basic cookbook.
♪ <Fred> I'm just learning how to make biscuits.
So.
<Carrie> Oh well the first chapter is all about biscuits.
What's your name?
<Fred> My name is Fred.
F-R-E-D. <Carrie> All right.
<Fred> I've been taking some flour showers too, trying to make biscuits.
<Carrie> It is a messy job.
Fred, good luck making biscuits.
<Fred> Thanks, good meeting you.
<Carrie> I think I've been doing this business for 16 years and you know, there are so many highs and lows in business and so when I can step outside of the day to day of working on the business and be able to meet people that I have impacted, it really gives me so much more energy to continue going.
Birmingham has been a great trip and I'm ready to go home.
I miss my babies.
♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ How She Rolls is available on Amazon Prime Video.