Faithful Friends

I've heard that regardless of era, every generation romanticizes the past.  I never thought I'd feel that way about the 90s, but lately I've been looking back with some gushiness. When I came across an old recipe for scones, it reminded me of the day Valerie waltzed into my office.  She was a student employee and I was payroll, which made us fast friends. We met as the University began rolling out its email system, and soon we were exchanging notes. She was the first person I met who never left home without a reusable coffee mug, and skinny as she was always nibbling on scones. I figured it was because she was from California.

Both Valerie and I were single moms, but she handled parenting with a free-spirited reign. She was the kind of mom who decorated the living room with hundreds of strings hanging from the ceiling attached to paper cutouts that her kids made. She was the kind of mom who baked scones for the school sale rather than cookies. Lucky for us, she dated a guy who shared his "Best Scones Ever" recipe with her as long as she promised not to share it with anyone else.  As if!

This recipe isn't exactly the one Valerie's guy shared with us. Rather, I use his blueprint to improvise.

Blueberry Scones
2 eggs
1 1/4 cup half and half or cream
2 tablespoons lemon juice
3 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 teaspoon almond extract
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 cups whole wheat flour
4 teaspoons baking powder
2/3 cups sugar
1 teaspoon salt
2 cups blueberries
1/2 cup butter
Zest from one lemon
Egg wash and sugar pearls

1. Whisk together eggs, half and half, lemon, vanilla, and almond extract.

2. Sift together flour, baking powder, sugar, and salt. Cut in chilled butter. Add blueberries and zest.

3. Add egg mixture to flour mixture and lightly mix to form a consistent batter. Drop 1/4 to 1/2 cup spoonfuls onto baking sheet. Brush with egg wash and sugar pearls.

4. Bake in preheated 375 degree oven about 20 minutes. Cool on rack.