Cheese Scones

Edinburgh. Dreich day. Rowan berries sodden on the grass. Out in the street plastic barriers, no entry and diversion signs. And mud, also men in wellie boots and bright yellow jackets, in the pits dug for the gas mains renewal. Another car-no-go area. A typical Edinburgh street-scene in 2011…

Oiyyyyyyyy! mwoiyyyyyyyyyyyy!

Outside the cats pleaded. Sorry cats, fresh air is good, day-time is for playing out. Inside, the sunflowers ducked their heads and turned in on themselves. Cats in. Ah rain. Book or fresh air?

So out to taste the rain (plus resurgent orange companion). Perhaps as far as the post box (Go, home, cat!) why does it feel so end of the yearish already?

At the top of the road I pause outside Hellers. Display of buns and cupcakes, and scones, both fruit and cheese. Scones are a Scottish speciality. And I have a thing about cheese scones. I am very picky about them and exceedingly suspicious of those that have grated cheese on top. I prefer my cheese throughout the dough and too many ‘hand-bakers’ of those with cheese on top have not bothered with the fine grating and rub in with the fingers stage of the process. So I went in and had a coffee, and a scone which came with pickle. So excellent that I had to buy another to take home.

But I am not the only one in the household who finds paper bags irresistable.

Sorry, cat, that one is mine! Humans, when you go to google for a recipe, make sure you choose one which has grated cheese throughout. The Heller one also had a touch of herbs, as well as grated cheese on top.

Is this the time to introduce a note of warning gleaned from my recent trip to San Gimignano where Taddeo di Bartol0 depicted, all too graphicly, the hellish fate which awaits gluttons? No faffing about with nicey, nicey and positive reinforcement in the late 14th century.

But one cheese scone can’t be that bad….. so, enjoy!

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