Two observations my first-grader recently articulated about me: 1. I'm always running late, and 2. I'm that mom, the one who drives to school in crazy hair and pajamas.However, he also knows--much to his chagrin--I am not that other mom, the one who serves pop tarts for breakfast en route. Usually, it's bananas I'm passing to the backseats at 8:40 on the parkway trying desparately not to break the law getting to the dropoff zone by 8:45 so I don't have to walk into the school looking like this to sign for a tardy slip. (Ooh how I hate that word!)
On the days I have to make two and sometimes three trips to school with forgotten lunches, homework, permission slips, shoes, socks, or whatever the forget-du-jour may be, what I really wish I could do is go debrief (or drown) myself in caffeine and scones at a local cafe. (Well, on occasion I do just suck up my pride and march through the door in full regalia. I mean, what are they going to do? Not serve me? Crazy people need coffee, too.)
But on the average day, I just drive by 61B Cafe on Braddock Avenue and roll my window down to catch a whiff of the just-out-of-the-oven scones sitting on the sill to cool. Their scones are round balls of deliciousness with blueberries, raisins, cinnamon or even savory spinach and feta. And with a foamy latte? Yum yum. Best in the East End.
My smarter-than-me sister, Bridget, recently reminded me that, at more than three bucks a pop, those scones would have me in the poor house if it weren't for my crazy hair and jammies. So she shared the recipe she swears by. "Quick and easy! and so delish!" Yeah, yeah. We'll see about that, Miss Ph.D. I made them for the second time today. Sure enough, they are in and out of the oven in under an hour. Using a food processor could reduce that to 30 minutes. They are plain, but there are many possible add-ins. In today's, I added whole wheat flour, cardamom and raisins. Next, I'll try adding almonds, almond oil, with a honey-lemon glaze.
They are soft and a little chewy on day one, eaten warm. Day two, they take on the denser, drier texture of a coffee-shop scone. Days later, kept under a glass bell jar, they are still like day two. (The only reason they stay there that long is because hubby doesn't know they are there.)
Dr. Bridget says, "Make these on Sunday morning to eat fresh with the NY Times Book Review and then have them on the go all week." I second that. Yes, please do. And with your coffee-shop savings, please buy me a triple tall whole milk latte at 61B and hand it through my window as I drive by.
Try the recipe this weekend and let me know how they turn out for you. My Sister's Simple Scones
