Lauren ElliottHello,Mystery Lovers’ Kitchen! I’m honored to be here and would like to say a bigthank you to Leslie Budewitz for inviting me and Libby Klein for being our hosttoday. This guest appearance is perfect timing as I’ll soon be celebrating therelease of Dedication to Murder, booknine in the Beyond the Page Bookstore Mystery series.
Manyof you who have read my books might be wondering why an author who writes abouta thirty-something-year-old woman’s love of rare and gently used books anddoesn’t highlight any recipes in her bookshop series would be a guest on a blogcalled Mystery Lovers’ Kitchen. That’s simple. Even though this is not aculinary mystery series, a lot of eating does take place, and my main character,Addie Greyborne, can often be found munching happily away on a scrumptiousscone or cream-cheese-icing-slathered cinnamon bun, courtesy of Martha’sBakery, which just so happens to be right next door to Addie’s bookshop in thefictional town of Greyborne Harbor, Massachusetts.
So,even though there are no recipes in my books—for good reason—as I, just like Addie,who once had to call the fire department when she made a pot of spaghetti, ammore of a disaster in the kitchen than a culinary master, my characters doenjoy delectable treats. Due to my British/Irish ancestry, the first thing thatpops into my mind when Addie needs a go-to snack is tea and scones. Lucky forAddie, her best friend, Serena Ludlow, owns a specialty tea shop, and MarthaStringer often has something new baking away each day. Now, Martha and I don’thave much in common (except for one or two creaking knees!) but even I, a disasterin the kitchen, can bake scones without breaking into a rash or burning myhouse down.
"Even though there are many similarities between them, British and American scones are actually very different."
Sconesare traditionally connected to Scotland, England, and Ireland and originated asa quick bread made with oats then cooked on a griddle. Today’s versions aregenerally made with flour and baked in the oven and have grown in popularity inAmerica over the years. Even though there are many similarities between them,British and American scones are actually very different. British scones aremore basic and easier to make since they traditionally contain feweringredients and were meant to be topped with things such as clotted cream,butter, lemon curd, and/or different types of jams and jellies. American sconesoffer a variety of ingredient additions and range between sweet to savory.There is also a difference in shape as American scones are often cut intowedges or triangles while British scones are circular, fluffier, and resemblean American biscuit.
Thebasic recipe, and the one I follow, can be used for either, but I take it onestep further in its simplicity—disasterin the kitchen, remember—and I don’t even roll out and cut the dough intoshapes. I simply drop it from a tablespoon onto a parchment-paper-coveredbaking sheet and let the oven do its best.
EASYSCONE BASIC RECIPE
INGREDIENTS
21⁄2 cups all-purpose flour
1tablespoon baking powder
1⁄2teaspoon salt
8tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cut up
1⁄4cup granulated sugar (use 1/3 for slightly sweeter scones)
2⁄3cup milk
DIRECTIONS
Heatoven to 425°F (220 Celsius)
Putflour, baking powder, and salt into a large bowl; mix, stirring well
Addbutter and cut in with a pastry blender or rub in with your fingers, until themixture looks like fine crumbs.
Addsugar; toss to mix.
Addmilk and stir with a large spoon until dough forms (the dough may be a bitcrumbly).
Placedough on floured counter and knead gently until the dough comes together in aball. Note: Cooking Preparation Options
Iskip the last step above—the easier thebetter I say— and drop about half a tablespoon of rough dough onto a parchment-paper-coveredcookie sheet, so they’re slightly apart for crisper edges.
Othersprefer patting or rolling the dough into a circle about 1 1/2 inches thick andthen cutting each circle into 6 or 8 wedges and then place them on a greased orparchment-paper- covered cookie sheet, slightly apart for crisp sides, touchingfor soft sides.
Foreither method bake about 12 minutes or until medium brown on top.
See,easy-peasy and something scrumptious to munch on while you enjoy reading thelatest adventures of Addie Greyborne in Dedicationto Murder.
A first edition of The Velveteen Rabbit provides bookshop owner Addie Greyborne atelling clue to a cold case in her family’s past . . .
Wedding bells are about to ring againin Greyborne Harbor, and as Addie slips into her white dress her thoughts are focusedon a bright future with Dr. Simon Emerson. But a discovery in her attic leadsher to startling revelations about the past. As the owner of Beyond the PageBooks and Curios and a lifelong bibliophile, Addie is delighted to find a rarecollection of classic children’s books gathering dust in a secret room beneaththe rafters, including a first edition of TheVelveteen Rabbit by Margery Williams. To her surprise, a handwritteninscription on the title page provides a clue to unraveling a complex mysteryin Addie’s family . . . But that’s only the first surprise in a series of shocking twists that willturn Addie’s vision of where her life is going and where she’s come from upsidedown—including a suspicious death in the present that suggests foul play.
For a chance towin a signed copy of Dedication to Murder,just leave a comment answering this question: Do you enjoy reading the classicsand if so what is your favorite of all time and one you would like to seefeatured in the Beyond the Page Bookstore Mystery series?
LaurenElliott is the USA Today bestselling author of the Shay MyersTea Shop Mysteries and the Beyond the Page Bookstore Mystery Series. She grewup devouring Nancy Drew, graduated to Agatha Christie, and then began writingher own mysteries, as well as bringing her passion for storytelling to careersin professional theater and journalism. She can be found online atLaurenElliottAuthor.com.
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