I remember these from my parents’ dinner parties as a child. I used to hang around kitchen like a puppy hoping for crumbs to fall off the counter just waiting for them to come out of the oven.
1/4 oz package active dry yeast (1 pkg. = 2½ tsp.).
Dissolve this in 1/4 cup warm water.
5½ cups all-purpose flour
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp soda
1 tsp salt
Stir flour and other dry ingredients together.
1 cup vegetable shortening
Add and cut shortening into dry mixture.
2 cups buttermilk
Add with yeast when dry mixture above resembles coarse meal. Stir to blend completely.
Sprinkle clean counter top with flour and knead dough for 5 minutes. Add flour a sprinkling at a time to reduce dough stickiness, but be sure to knead well after last flour addition. Roll out to 1/2-inch thickness and cut into 2-inch rounds. Place at 1/2-inch apart on greased baking sheet. Cover with clean dish towel and let stand 30 minutes. Bake at 425 degrees for 10-15 minutes. Dough will keep in refrigerator for up to 3 days if covered tightly with plastic wrap.