6/06/2008

call me picky...

but a scone, to be a good scone, needs either a light wash of sugar glaze or a sprinkling of crystallized sugar on top. At Panerra yesterday (yes, I stopped to Panerra because I couldn't find a local bakery that was still open at 8 pm) there were orange scones bathed in thick frosting glaze or cherry scones with powdered sugar dust on top. I opted for the latter, having had the orange scones before and not liking them so much.

Sigh. It's just not right.....and where is the scone fairy when you really need her????

7 comments:

catbonny said...

I feel like the scones I had in England had neither. I am pretty sure that they were extremely dry, but I guess still incredible because the tea and especially clotted cream that accompanied them made them perfect in everyway.

I think I am way more about the sugar than the glaze. Crystalized sugar on anything is okay with me.

I am guessing you are not a big fan of Panera?

sarah k. said...

And now, after having diligently sworn off sweets and snacky foods for three (whole!) days, I will obsess over both the orange glazed and the cherry sugared scones until I have purchased one of each. Maybe I could virtuously make my own. But that wouldn't solve the mystery, would it?

jana said...

SarahK:
I had promised myself to find local shops to support in favor of chains. It's _really_ hard to do! Especially when one is staying in a suburb-y place with lots of ritzy strip malls.

Bonny:
Clotted cream would have defnintely made the scone far better. Everything is better with a bit 'o that magic on top....

sarah k. said...

Yeah, I've been trying pretty hard to go local too, and it's amazing how you have to limit yourself! I don't actually shop at Panera (OK, I did once, but it was in the name of consolidating a trip) but I am so susceptible to obsession about food I hear/read about. And scones... so yummy, so romantic. But I really think I would rather make them, even though I then have the problem of a whole batch to deal with.

The nice thing about trying hard to only buy local stuff is that eventually, you find some pretty exciting things. We have a local Amish farm (I'll admit it's a little easier to find Amish farms in Ohio) that grows ruby red and sapphire blue popcorn. It's honestly the best popcorn I've ever had in my life. The same guy sells pastured eggs, home made sweet rolls, tomato plants, rhubarb, strawberries, and all sorts of random stuff. So once you know what's there, you don't feel the sting of not getting everything you've been used to for the past 30 years. At least not as bad. I've been fighting the urge to buy the California grapes, the Washington blueberries, the bananas from another hemisphere. But the strawberries grown a few miles from here are incomparable.

JohnR said...

Sarah, I want you to know that the next time you have this problem of a whole batch of scones, the Remys are there for you. Bring your burden to us. :P

jana said...

Sarah:
How 'bout a citrus-scone exchange? I send you lemons & satsumas and you send your spare pastries???
:)

Tiffney said...

You people are killing me. I'm having the worst longing to be back in England with a hot pot of tea and a plate of currant scones slathered with clotted cream and strawberry jam . . . sigh!