sunday morning scones

If you've grown up in the Northwest or spent a significant amount of time here, you're familiar with June gloom.  Just when summer seems to have arrived, strawberries are in full force, your legs are slightly tan and the freckles are emerging on your cheeks from afternoons in the sun, June arrives.  And with it, the gloom.  The past two years haven't really been that bad, and this year it seems to mean more rain than the past few months and humid, strangely summery, drizzly days.  Today was one of those in Oregon wine country and it seemed like a perfect excuse to enjoy scones and coffee for breakfast (as if we needed an excuse).  The sheer fact that summer officially showed up on Friday, rain or shine, made me crave blueberries - one of those foods that signal summer, like heirloom tomatoes - and remember the bounty we picked last year.

I've been known to call scones "the perfect breakfast", and I'll happily defend this statement.  They're warm, begging for melted butter, jam and a nice cup of something warm.  They make you feel happy and content and fill our house up with good smells and Sunday indulgences.  Aaron, my partner, is our resident baker and won my heart for many reasons two years ago, scones not far from the top of the list.  He makes them almost every weekend with different fillings based on the season and mood of our family or guests.  Indulge, enjoy and definitely don't wait until next Sunday.

Aaron's Sunday morning scones

• 1 1/2 cups of flour
• 1/4 cup rolled oats
• 3 tsp baking powder
• pinch of salt
• 3/4 stick of cold butter
• 3 tbsp sugar
• 1/2 cup almond milk (milk, or other milk substitute - we find the flavor with almond milk is delicious!)
• zest from half a lemon
• 1/2 cup frozen blueberries (frozen berries work much better than fresh)
• tbsp raw turbindo sugar

Preheat oven to 425.  Combine dry ingredients in a large mixing bowl.  Add butter with a pastry knife or crumble into pea size pieces by hand.  Add zest, mix by hand, then add milk and mix until combined and all ingredients are wet.  Fold in frozen blueberries and divide into six even pieces of dough.  Sprinkle raw sugar on top of scones.  Place on floured and greased oven sheet and bake for approximately 15 minutes or until knife comes out dry.  

Other good filling options include: pecans and dates, lemon and cardamom, blackberry and vanilla, cherry and almond, or any other fresh fruit and spices you have around.  Just remember to adjust the sugar level accordingly.  These scones tend to have a hint of sweetness rather than a sugary hit, so feel free to double the sugar!