Well, my friends, we did it. We made the move. The move to the seaside village that has held a special place in my heart and routine for awhile now. Somehow, the impending arrival of this baby is setting in motion events and decisions that have occupied (with indecision) the back burners of our life together.
Soon after I wrote here last, it was decided that we’d finally make the move to Mattapoisett from Cambridge. We had three weeks to prepare and pack. We didn’t have time for a nostalgic look back at our time spent nurturing our relationship in the fantastically urban landscape that is Boston and Cambridge. The decision was set in motion by a few factors and we in turn were on the go without precious time for thoughtfulness. Who knew a baby could make it all fall into place? I surely didn’t expect it.
I’ve moved plenty of times throughout my youthful city dwelling years. Never has a move meant so much as this one did though. This move is to our home. The home where our baby will be raised. A home with a yard for our pups. A home that I’ll work from. A home that will serve a base for us to reconnect and gather together at the end of the day even though our schedules are still opposing.
Settling into a new space is both daunting and exciting. A clean slate brimming with expectations. And, when it’s a space that you plan to reside in, perhaps for forever, the imagination is sparked to whole new levels. Everything in its place seems so…permanent. Tack on the dressing of a room for your first baby and there’s much to consider.
With all of this unpacking and settling in provoking (probably too much) thought, a friend gifting you with a handful of freshly baked scones from a family recipe is a treat beyond all treats. When the kitchen has yet to be organized, these scones resting on the counter are golden trinkets of effortless snacking. They are crumbly. Buttery. Faintly sweet. Energy-inducing. Dunkable. Just plain what you need when life is tugging you in all directions and you need a good ole dose of carbs to keep moving.
True to most familial recipes, this scone recipe was passed along verbally and on scraps of paper that most appropriately go missing after a single floury handhold. It took days of doing for Sierra and her sister and Sierra’s boyfriend to track down the ingredients and method. Finally, all was gathered from texts, e-mails, and phone conversations.
While we gathered missing ingredients during a slight trip to the grocery store, she mused with a sigh about the impossiblity of keeping a hold on this recipe. That voiced concern, my friends, was how I’d found my in. What better reason for a blog feature than to offer her and her family a permanent residence on my site? She agreed. Phew, my plan worked.
We spent an afternoon baking then noshing then attending my surprise baby shower. What a splendid day!
Sisterly Scones (recipe shared by sisters Sierra & Kallista)
When Nils and I started dating, he’d come home with a maple scones every so often. I wondered who was wooing my new man with sweet treats. He’d brush away concern with claims that a friend, who worked at Starbucks, would bring them to him at the end of her shift — you know, whatever wasn’t sold that day and wouldn’t be good for the next day. In my mind, I referred to her as “maple scone lady.” Of course, she was on the other side, wondering about his new girlfriend was…Almost eight years later, here we are, baking scones together; that’s the beauty and humor of life, isn’t it?
Her note: These are things you probably have lying around anyway, but here are the ingredients for the scones we’ll be making. They are seriously the best scones I have ever had.
1 ½ cups flour
½ cup sugar
2 ½ tsp baking powder
¾ teaspoon salt
sprinkle of cinnamon
2-3 tablespoons cold butter, cut into small pieces
1 cup heavy cream
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
½ cup chopped walnuts
milk and sugar, for glaze
Place the rack in the middle of the oven and heat to 400 degrees. Grease an 8” circle in center of 9”x12” baking sheet. Combine flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, and cinnamon in a large bowl. Stir together.
Cut two tablespoons of butter into the prepared mix with a pastry blender or two knives until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs.
In a small bowl, combine cream and vanilla. Make a well in the center of your dry mixture. Pour a stream of the vanilla-cream into the well. Stir until the dough pulls together. If necessary, add a touch more cream until the dough pulls together. Sprinkle in the walnuts.
With floured hands, knead the dough three or four times in the bowl. Pat the dough into a seven inch circle. Cut into eight wedges, as you would a pie. Reassemble the slices in the center of the baking sheet, leaving a quarter inch in between pieces. Brush scones lightly with milk and sprinkle with sugar.
Bake until golden brown, approximately 16 to 18 minutes. Cool on a sheet for one minute, then remove and let cool completely on cooling rack.
Sunday, January 1, 2012 at 7:15 AM | 
