Monkey see, monkey do

It was bound to happen sooner or later. Despite the warnings from my friend about the mediocre bakery on the corner, I was lured in by the warm, sweet fragrance of cinnamon wafting into the neighborhood. The chocolate brioche was just okay, but the Irish soda bread scone left a lot to be desired. Scones are supposed to be dry, but not Sahara-dry, and the whole fennel seeds were unpredictable and found themselves lodging in my teeth.

Always trying to keep up with the Joneses, I added a few things to the scone recipe from June.

Irish Soda Bread Scones

2 c flour
1/3 c sugar
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp fennel seeds, crushed or ground
1/8 tsp salt
1/3 c shortening or butter
1 egg, beaten (reserve a spoonful for glazing)
1/2 c milk
1/3 c raisins

Whisk dry ingredients except raisins in a bowl. Cut in the shortening or butter with the whisk or a pastry blender until the mixture is sandy. Stir the milk and egg into the flour mixture to form a dough, adding a little flour if it's too sticky to handle. Fold in the raisins and knead briefly to distribute them. On a cutting board, pat the dough into a circle about 3/4" thick. Cut into 8 wedges and place on an ungreased sheet. Mix the reserved egg with a dash of milk and brush lightly over the tops of the scones. Bake at 375 for 15 minutes.

I didn't have raisins at the time, so I popped a handful of chopped red grapes into the toaster oven at its lowest setting for about an hour. They were still juicy, but with a little extra flour the dough held together just fine. The result was a really tasty, fragrant, sweet scone with a moist crumb.

The culinary journey continues here in the DC-Baltimore area. Dinner last night included a giant soft pretzel smothered in cheese and crab meat. There may be a risotto on the table tonight; we'll see what the District's markets have to offer.