1. In a roomy mixing bowl combine the dry ingredients thoroughly. I sift my mixture together about 6 to 8 times and then work in the Crisco. When I work with "cutting-in" a mixture like this, I find that my fingers do a better job than the pastry blender or two forks, as so often recommended by the big cookbooks.

Pinch the Crisco into the dry mixture, pressing it between your fingers, over and over, until the mixture is the consistency of very fine gravel. Store in a tightly covered container at room temperature up to 4 months. But it is a good idea to tape 2 to 3 whole dry bay leaves to the inside of the lid which wards any little bug-like creatures considering setting up housekeeping in your biscuit mix.