CALLING ALL SCONE LOVERS...

Now serving: Toasted Semolina Golden Raisin Goodness

Hi!

I can’t believe I’m writing these words but: we booked a trip. A very last minute trip, leaving tomorrow (!!). I’m pretty darn excited because I was starting to feel like spring break was for other people’s families. (You know, when you watch people frolicking on the beach via social media, year after year, while you’re home, in the rain—entertaining children?)

I’ve become a fan of the last-minute trip, because, well I’m a PLANNER, married to an ANTI-PLANNER. Except where work is concerned, he doesn’t like committing to much beyond tomorrow, so I’ve had to give into the joy of possibility—the little surprises that come with not deciding until it is almost too late. That’s when he goes for bust. To wit: He once booked us a ten day cruise, the night before it left. I agreed, having ZERO expectation about the food and the whole experience (I’d previously been fairly anti-cruise) and had a crazy wonderful trip.

Sometimes the unknown is alive with delight.

This is a long way of saying, tomorrow we fly across the Atlantic and I have my husband’s (occasionally irksome) philosophy of living deeply in the present to thank.

Since I’ll be away, I’m advancing you next week’s letter—with a recipe I deeply love—something that you might want to sneak into your Palm Sunday or Easter menu, and certainly bookmark this one for Mother’s Day. It kind of sniffs of the flavors we’ll be experiencing next week where we’re headed (much more on that when I’m back, to be sure).

Quick thoughts about these scones—Toasted Semolina Raisin Scones. There’s enough going on in there in the title for you to understand where I’m going with this. There’s also lemon and anise—the later of which you can keep if you like that very subtle note (think Spanish sugar crisps, or a perfect Italian cookie you might enjoy with espresso)—or skip if that’s not your thing. I love it.

This is also a good time for me to introduce you to my (occasional) partner in the kitchen, Brenda Jolicoeur. She’s been an integral part of things around here for quite some time. She helped me run my book tour for Every Day is Saturday three summers ago, was behind the scenes on my show Every Day is Saturday, and now pops into my studio a few times a month like a magic fairy to bake and shoot with me (my very favorite days!). Brenda shot these images (while I baked and prop styled), and she has thoughts about these scones, too.

When you make these smaller, as pictured here, Brenda noted that these fall somewhere between a scone and a biscotti. For sure they are perfect with coffee. When you make them bigger, they get crisp on the outside (thanks to the high heat, semolina, egg wash, and sprinkling of sugar) and tender moist in the inside. I love them both ways, for different purposes. Smaller for brunches and company, for packing and giving or for afternoon snacks—bigger for family breakfast, treating mom on mother’s day, or toasting when they are a day-old (little ones get lost in toaster slots) and serving with salted butter and marmalade—do not miss this treat.

That’s all, no time to waste. It’s time to pack (maybe for you too?) and if not, turn off your social this week, turn on your oven, bake and soak in your people. Love love love to you.

xx

Sarah

[RECIPE BELOW]