Lace and Stollen

It's only  three weeks until we leave for our anniversary cruise so I decided I better get back to the lace jacket post haste.. Except for the front I thought I  had it all basted to the bobbinet but on closer examination there are several areas that I need to beef up the basting.   White on white is as difficult as black on black.  As I hold all the pieces together it is much heavier than I thought it would considering it is just a bunch of string and air...and I wonder how practical it is going to be in April.  If nothing else I'll just wear it to dinner in the evening.  I was also concerned that the detail on the lace wasn't that visible but I think that is just my eyes...

Spring rains are rapidly turning our road into a sea of mud but the snow is disappearing rapidly as well.  I did get to play in the dirt (mud) yesterday to start repairing the pig damage which is overwhelming.   I had made wire guards for special plants and I'm finding  smashed wire guards and empty spaces so I'm trying to figure out what is gone. Luckily some perennials I can divide from elsewhere in the garden but most of the plants and shrubs they targeted  are just destroyed.

One perennial missing  is my bergenia cordifolio . It was among my favorites that needed extra protection and extra fussing. I say I won't replace those kind of plants but who knows if I happen on one at a plant sale. I was grateful that they didn't get any of the new clematis I planted last spring.  They were all still under too much snow... Now they are exposed and vulnerable but haven't seen pig since the sheriff went over there. 

I'm also hoping that some that look destroyed like my honeysuckles will come back from the roots.  I did order another today just in case.  One cannot have too many honeysuckle vines.



I have the scones quest pretty much mastered so I am pursuing the perfect stolen recipe. Since it was heavy rains today I  worked on that today...a cold grey day indeed. I'm looking for the recipe that will be reminiscent of the stollen my husband's beloved Hungarian grandmother made for him as a child...   A German friend gave me three German cookbooks with stollen recipes and I chose the one using the most butter and the fruit was soaked overnight in rum... we all know more butter is better...and the rum can't hurt.

Happy husband tonight!!

Grand 2016 Scone Bake-Off

When DH and I were first married he would order a scone any time they were available at a bakery...in fact he still does.  I tried them occasionally but always found them dry and tasteless.  I even tried on several occasions to bake them myself but they too were dry and tasteless...

When we were in Seaside someone told DH about a wonderful small bakery (the Sea Level)  in the neighboring town of Cannon Beach so early one morning we drove there and ordered scones..  Much to my amazement they were moist, flaky and absolutely delicious.  I had to recant every single derogatory thing I've ever said about scones.

On my return home I vowed to be able to bake just such scones...  I started with this recipe and they were indeed as delicious as the ones in Cannon Beach..

  This recipe was.. "the World's Best Scones! From Scotland to the Savoy"  I used raisins and walnuts in this batch.  The bakery's scones had just a bit of rosemary in them and since mine is so lovely now I added some fresh from the garden....

I believe part of their success was due to a few extra tips   I found as I was researching recipes.  All recipes cautioned about overworking the dough but I did find specific instructions on handling the dough with a bench scraper and gently folding it.  The second tip was freezing the butter and grating it into the flour mixture.  And the final tip was once the dough was cut and on a baking sheet to stick it in the freezer for 30 minutes before baking to achieve a better rise.  These tips seemed to help.

Of course DH has graciously offered to be the official taste tester and I have gathered the following list of scone recipes to begin with.

Apple Cinnamon Scones
English Royalty Chocolate/Orange Scones
Poppy Seed Lemon Scones
Chef John's Pumpkin Scones
Chocolate Hazelnut Ricotta Scones

Meanwhile Morris patiently waits
for a scone to leap off the pan into
his mouth..

I figure that this is a worthwhile winter project.  If anyone has a favorite scone recipe that I should try....do indeed send it to me.  I will keep you posted as I progress and maybe even get DH to share his thoughts.