Preheat oven to 475 degrees and lightly butter a baking sheet. In a large bowl whisk together flour, sugar, baking powder, cream of tartar and salt. Blend in shortening until mixture resembles coarse meal. Add milk and egg, stirring until mixture forms a dough, and gather dough into a ball. Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface and gently knead 4 times. Pat dough into a 3/4-inch-thick round and cut out biscuits with a floured 2-inch round cutter. Gather scraps and pat out dough. Cut out more biscuits in same manner until there are 12 biscuits. Arrange biscuits about 2 inches apart on prepared baking sheet and bake in middle of oven 10 minutes, or until pale golden. Transfer biscuits with a metal spatula to a rack to cool. Makes 12 biscuits.

Sims, who lived in New England and had many fine cooks in her family. Split, spread with parsley butter, and filled with good ham, these biscuits are fabulous for brunch. They are also grand plain, with honey, or with jam.