Making Scones

Baking adventures on the Amalfi Coast

I love tea. I love scones. Yes, I’m American. (We’re allowed.) I usually keep my tea drinking ways to myself here in the land of espresso and cappuccino. Although I do go into a sort of giddy haze in London when I go in Fortnum & Mason or the original Twinings tea shop on the Strand. And my husband is very patient as the cupboard in the kitchen has been slowly taken over  by tea. Frankly, I don’t even remember what used to be in there.

Now there’s black tea of various assortments from my favorite earl grey to a soothing Assam with the hint of jasmine from F&M to good ol’ strong cup of Yorkshire Gold. And since I don’t drink as much black tea as I used to, the cupboard is full to the brim (i.e., boxes fall on your head when you open it) with an assortment of Pukka herbal teas, chamomile tea and a big bag of dried peppermint from the erboristeria in Amalfi.

But the scones? There are so many tempting sweets here in Italy, but they’re all just a bit to sweet for me. Especially to face first thing in the morning since I don’t have much of a sweet tooth. Even the cornetti here, while very good, make me miss the slightly more savory croissants in Paris.

My first scones

I’ve thought about making scones many time. Last year in London I stopped in Books for Cooks in Notting Hill and picked up a little booklet with recipes that had a very basic scone recipe. That little cookbook has since gone missing. How rude. Searching online often turned up recipes that had too many ingredients that are hard or impossible to find here on the Amalfi Coast. Buttermilk? Eh, nope. (And I’ve tried the substitutes with Irish soda bread … it’s just not the same.)

This morning I did a bit of searching and came across this recipe on delicious:days that was beautifully simple, had very few ingredients and all ones that I had in the pantry. Scones! They became quite golden brown, but that was because I had to run to keep Toulouse from knocking over and breaking the bedside lamp. (Again.)

Ready for tea!

So how did they come out? Well, I’ve had four. Just to make sure, you know. Result: very good! I look forward to experimenting with different types of scones. And I need a cutter, because the glass I used was a bit thick and it was hard to get a very smooth cut so the scones would rise evenly. That’s OK, they still tasted good.

Check out the recipe I used here. Or please to share your own. I’d love to try it out!