Over these twenty three years, I've weaved in and out of many different people's lives. I've found new friends in the most unexpected of places...the blog world being foremost in my mind.
As a creative writer, I subject my short stories to a fair measure of critique. I ask trusted mentors and peers to stain my manuscripts with their comments and suggestions, and I walk away with colored paper, a slightly bruised ego, and a resolve for growth. Criticism is a necessary component to my craft, but it doesn't mean that I always enjoy it.
So, like most other areas in my life, I seek to find balance. I find people that I know can lacerate my story about Ana and her penchant for unreliable men. And then I find people that can wipe a cooling salve on my soul. People that bring me encouragement, kind words, a warm touch. As a writer, and as a human, we need to surround ourselves with people that challenge us, people that encourage us, people that scare us, people that make us grow.
These scones are inspired by two people who have brought much joy and encouragement to my life. One of my oldest friends, Laura, was married last weekend, and it was through her that I first tasted a delicate and buttery scone. And then the recipe itself must be credited to my friend, Brian, a talented and gracious individual who I feel truly honored to have met. His blog A Thought for Food deserves wide admiration. His posts are thoughtful, well written and the recipes...always inspiring. But it has been his gracious correspondence that has truly touched me, and I am so very thankful for our friendship.
As a creative writer, I subject my short stories to a fair measure of critique. I ask trusted mentors and peers to stain my manuscripts with their comments and suggestions, and I walk away with colored paper, a slightly bruised ego, and a resolve for growth. Criticism is a necessary component to my craft, but it doesn't mean that I always enjoy it.
So, like most other areas in my life, I seek to find balance. I find people that I know can lacerate my story about Ana and her penchant for unreliable men. And then I find people that can wipe a cooling salve on my soul. People that bring me encouragement, kind words, a warm touch. As a writer, and as a human, we need to surround ourselves with people that challenge us, people that encourage us, people that scare us, people that make us grow.
These scones are inspired by two people who have brought much joy and encouragement to my life. One of my oldest friends, Laura, was married last weekend, and it was through her that I first tasted a delicate and buttery scone. And then the recipe itself must be credited to my friend, Brian, a talented and gracious individual who I feel truly honored to have met. His blog A Thought for Food deserves wide admiration. His posts are thoughtful, well written and the recipes...always inspiring. But it has been his gracious correspondence that has truly touched me, and I am so very thankful for our friendship.
Scones are delicate...or at least they should be. We've all tasted a scone that has been left on the counter for far too long, a scone that requires a strong cup of coffee or tea in order to get down. Scones should not be dry or crumbly. Scones should be these triangles of buttery goodness, slightly sweet and oh-so-meltable on your tongue.
Laura has collected vintage tea cups over the years, and like any good tea cup collector, she knows exactly what to serve at an afternoon tea. I remember the first time her mother brought me a scone with marscapone cream...we sat there, two teenage girls with our still awkward bodies and poor fashion sense, and we enjoyed a sophisticated afternoon treat. I felt elegant and my stomach was beyond satisfied.
These scones are simple to make and yet taste divine. I used fresh raspberries in my batter, which was delicious but did make the dough a bit wetter than I would have liked. They turned out beautifully, but they were hard to manage during the cutting phase. So while I won't completely caution you against using fresh fruit, I will warn you that berries might make the dough a bit sticky.
My warmest thanks to Brian for allowing me to use his recipe. It was a joy, and I hope that we can get into the kitchen together sometime soon.
Laura has collected vintage tea cups over the years, and like any good tea cup collector, she knows exactly what to serve at an afternoon tea. I remember the first time her mother brought me a scone with marscapone cream...we sat there, two teenage girls with our still awkward bodies and poor fashion sense, and we enjoyed a sophisticated afternoon treat. I felt elegant and my stomach was beyond satisfied.
These scones are simple to make and yet taste divine. I used fresh raspberries in my batter, which was delicious but did make the dough a bit wetter than I would have liked. They turned out beautifully, but they were hard to manage during the cutting phase. So while I won't completely caution you against using fresh fruit, I will warn you that berries might make the dough a bit sticky.
My warmest thanks to Brian for allowing me to use his recipe. It was a joy, and I hope that we can get into the kitchen together sometime soon.
Cape Cod Scones
(altered from the recipe in Lora Brody's The Cape Cod Table)
Makes 12 scones
Ingredients
2 cups all-purpose flour, measured after sifting
1 tbsp baking powder
3/4 tsp salt
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup raspberries or cranberries (fresh, frozen, or, if you prefer, dried)
1 1/4 cups heavy cream
3 tbsp unsalted butter, melted
Coarse sugar for sprinkling
Directions
1. Preheat your oven to 425 degrees, with the rack in the center position.
2. In a medium-sized mixing bowl, sift the flour, baking powder, salt, and sugar. Use a table fork to mix well. If you are adding dried berries (or fresh), stir them in at this point. Dribble the cream over the dry ingredients while mixing with the fork. Continue mixing gently until the mixture forms a rough, sticky ball of dough.
3. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured work surface, sprinkle lightly with flour, and knead 10 times by pushing the half closer to you down and away from you with the heel of your hand and folding it back over itself, giving it a quarter turn each time.
4. Pat the dough into a 9-inch disk. Brush the top with melted butter and sprinkle generously with coarse sugar. Use a long knife to cut the dough into 12 wedges and transfer each onto the baking sheet, leaving about 1 1/2 inches between them. Bake for 15 to 17 minutes, or until the tops are golden brown.
5. Serve warm or at room temperature.
Always,
Monet
Anecdotes and Apple Cores
(altered from the recipe in Lora Brody's The Cape Cod Table)
Makes 12 scones
Ingredients
2 cups all-purpose flour, measured after sifting
1 tbsp baking powder
3/4 tsp salt
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup raspberries or cranberries (fresh, frozen, or, if you prefer, dried)
1 1/4 cups heavy cream
3 tbsp unsalted butter, melted
Coarse sugar for sprinkling
Directions
1. Preheat your oven to 425 degrees, with the rack in the center position.
2. In a medium-sized mixing bowl, sift the flour, baking powder, salt, and sugar. Use a table fork to mix well. If you are adding dried berries (or fresh), stir them in at this point. Dribble the cream over the dry ingredients while mixing with the fork. Continue mixing gently until the mixture forms a rough, sticky ball of dough.
3. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured work surface, sprinkle lightly with flour, and knead 10 times by pushing the half closer to you down and away from you with the heel of your hand and folding it back over itself, giving it a quarter turn each time.
4. Pat the dough into a 9-inch disk. Brush the top with melted butter and sprinkle generously with coarse sugar. Use a long knife to cut the dough into 12 wedges and transfer each onto the baking sheet, leaving about 1 1/2 inches between them. Bake for 15 to 17 minutes, or until the tops are golden brown.
5. Serve warm or at room temperature.
Always,
Monet
Anecdotes and Apple Cores
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