Tuesday Tea

It was an early springtime affair,
two old friends and the rain were there.

Flickering candles. A pot of hot tea.
Pear blossoms falling from high in the tree.

An impromptu event, to which none could compare.
Any only two friends and the rain were there.

-Author Unknown


I was looking forward to doing some gardening today, but I woke up to a windy morning with enough of a nip in the air to ruin my plans. I don't mind if it's a little bit cold (this is Wisconsin, after all) but I'd like to do my planting without a bulky jacket and having to hold onto my hat. Then I heard it's going to rain this afternoon, and that was the final straw - I decided to call my 93 year-old Grandma and have her over for tea. The day will certainly be salvaged! She's coming over at the proper time of 4:00 (she still drives, and lives across the farm from me), and I have this scone recipe from Susan Branch in the oven right now:

Cream Scones
2 C. flour
1/3 C. sugar
1 Tbsp. baking powder
1 tsp. salt
1/2 c. currents (opt.) (I leave them out and serve raspberry jam instead)
1 C. heavy cream

Preheat oven to 425. Stir together first 5 ingredients. Gradually stir in cream. Gather dough together and knead lightly on a floured board; this will start off seeming impossible, but don't give up. Pat out to 1/2" thick. Cut with a 2" cookie cutter dipped in flour (I use a crescent moon). Arrange on ungreased baking sheet. Bake 10-12 mintues until golden. You can glaze them with a creamy mixture of 1/2 c. powdered sugar, 1 tsp. orange zest & about 1 Tbsp. of orange juice if you like. Serve hot. Makes 10.

I'll just zap them in the microwave right before she arrives. I just might eat 3 or more and call this my supper!