Saturday, April 30, 2011

Upsides to the Down Economy/ Will and Kate Plus Billions







I, like millions of others, got up early yesterday (6 a.m.) to watch the nuptials of Prince William and Kate Middleton. Why bother watching the pomp and circumstance of this event taking place across the pond, which has little bearing on our lives here in America? Well, number one I'm a hopeless romantic. I got up early to watch Prince Charles and Diana get married thirty years ago, having been a flight attendant flying to London at the time and caught up in all the hoopla. Number two, there are always going to be wars, natural disasters and fighting politicians, but how often do we get the chance to focus on something positive in the news? This is the beginning of a young couple's life, with all the hope and enthusiasm that goes along with it. People claim they want more "positive news" and yet, when they get it, cranky old men like Dan Rather call it "silliness". Bah humbug! I'll take a little silliness in my life, thank you sir, and "more please". Or to quote Barbara Walters who quoted Winston Churchill, this event was " a flash of color on the hard road we have to travel." A day to take a break from our worries and cares and celebrate!


I had promised scones and tea, but didn't get up early enough, so we had a tea party after school. It was a dreary day- rainy and grey- and the scones, tea and berries and cream were just the ticket to cheer us up. We talked about the wedding, the dress, the fashion and toasted the royal couple with our English Breakfast tea. These scones are a recipe I first made as a child, reading Agatha Christie mystery novels and curious about what scones were. They are as good as I remembered, but you could baste them with beaten egg yolk and sprinkle them with coarse sugar to gild the lily. They should be eaten the day they are made, served warm with butter and strawberry jam. Long live the Queen and best wishes to Will and Kate!



Tea Scones


2 cups all purpose flour

1/2 cup sugar

2 tsp. cream of tartar

1 tsp. baking soda

3/4 tsp. salt

1/2 cup shortening

1/2 cup dried currants or raisins

2 eggs, slightly beaten

1/4 cup milk


Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Sift dry ingredients together. Blend in shortening with pastry blender until mixture resembles fine bread crumbs. Add remaining ingredients. Mix with fork, divide into two parts and turn each part out on floured board. Do not handle. Flatten with rolling pin into circles about 1/2 inch or more thick (thicker is better). Cut into triangles and put on greased and floured baking sheet.(I used Baker's Joy) Bake in oven for 15 minutes or until golden. Makes 16.

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