Tea Party

Madonna is everywhere lately; apparently she’s directed a movie, because she’s a director now, and is doing the publicity junket all over the place. So the other day when a clip of a recent interview she gave was being played online I clicked on it just to see what snippets of wisdom she might throw our way. Beyond her usual self importance and complete lack of a sense of humor there were a couple of things that peaked my interest. One was her bizarre dress, it had some beady pearly things going from her shoulders and down the sleeves which seemed a bit overdone for a sit down in the middle of the morning or afternoon. Then there was the room's decor, it was so formal over the top British hoity toity which doesn't seem to go with her at all (as if I would know), maybe that explains the dress-formality is the order of the day. And finally there was the on and off very clipped very odd British accent. This got me thinking, in her quest to embrace and take over all things British does she follow that very British of traditions "afternoon tea"? Which of course got me thinking of scones; yes it always goes back to food somehow. Scones are tricky little things, they should be light and fluffy and delicate which isn't always an easy accomplishment. I remember every once in a while at work ordering a scone from the nearby deli for breakfast only to be real disappointed when this giant weighty triangle appeared; it was more paperweight or hockey puck than scone but I begrudgingly ate it anyway and usually I skipped lunch that day, the weight of it just sat in my stomach. I did come across this lovely recipe which I've made a couple of times but I wanted something a little more traditional.

English Scones with Devonshire Cream adapted from Vanilla and Lace


English Scones
Makes 164 cups Flour
3 tablespoons Sugar
4 teaspoons Baking powder
1/2 teaspoon Cream of Tartar
1/2 teaspoon Salt
1 1/2 cups Half and half
1 1/2 sticks of butter - chilled
1 large egg yolk (save white for brushing)

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
Whisk together flour, sugar, baking powder, salt and cream of tartar. Cut in butter, until combined and resembles a course meal. (the butter lumps should not be pea sized)
Add egg yolk to half and half. Stir half and half mixture into dry ingredients. Knead slightly in the bowl to combine. Divide dough in half. Form each half into a round, slightly dome shape about 1 inch thick. Cut the round into 8 wedges. Brush tops with egg white. Place the wedges on an ungreased baking sheet. Bake for 18-20 minutes. Tops will be golden brown.

 

Perfect little puffy pillows

If you need to store them, wrap individual baked scones in aluminum and store in the freezer. Rewarm in a 425f oven for about 20 minutes when ready to eat. They will feel and taste freshly baked. Do this if you are not going to eat them within a day lest they become the aforementioned hockey pucks.

Devonshire cream

1 cup Whipping cream
2 tablespoons Powdered sugar
1/2 cup Sour cream

Whip the cream until soft peaks form. Stir in powdered sugar and sour cream.

Serve with jam or as I did, lemon curd.

and coffee since I'm not much of a tea drinker

We feel so very civilized and proper. Don't we Max?

Hmm, I do believe you could pass for a Pointer.

Oh, and for my friends who saw this title and thought I had gone off my noggin, do not fret I am still the same old bleeding heart opinionated liberal you so love.