I really wish I could invent something exciting, but the past 11 days of my life have been sadly lacking, putting it mildly.
Monday night I had an urgent need to bake scones, which was a short-lived good sign. Not having baked any in decades and having no recipe, I scoured the Internet and found a recipe for cream scones from Alton Brown that sounded reasonably decent. Since most of the 5 zillion comments complained they were not sweet enough and they had had to increase the sugar, that seemed like a plus. WRONG. I should have realized these were American taste buds and cut the sugar by half. When my friend Rachel showed up for tea and crit on Tuesday, we managed to eat a few - but we both agreed they were too sweet. Is there a Brit out there who can give me a really great recipe???? PLEASE??
Since our crit group couldn't get it together for this Fiber Philadelphia month, Rachel and I had our own meeting -- which we both needed. She brought a piece she was struggling with and I gave her my not-so-humble opinion. I showed her a piece I had just cut in half and she had some great advice. Our day was pleasant and a great success!
I'll skip the non-activities of yesterday and today. Was planning to do therapy sewing today but didn't get near the machine till tonight, when i put the last few rows of stitching on a small piece. Tomorrow, if I am lucky, I will put the facings on and get busy doing the same for a few other small pieces that have been languishing. I am not sure what the weekend will bring.
14 comments:
I do hope you're starting too feel better. i suffer occasionally form bronchitis and pneumonia and I know it can be a long haul to feel your energy back.
I have cut a lot of sugar out of my diet and therefore find most recipes too sweet as well. if you find a good one scone recipe, pass it on when you're better.
Your scones look like a brain... A very good idea to cut the sugar down. I do, and it has increased my energies and reduced my weight quite a lot (well, I did need that). By the way, it is helpful, too, for getting rid of a cold, to reduce sweet things and cooling things -- hope you will soon have recovered completely!
Whatever is going around this year is hitting a lot of people hard! My friend Joyce suffered for weeks before going to the doctor and learning she was getting over pneumonia. She's still not back 100%! Others I know have had similar ailments with lots of coughing and misery. So staring into space is probably a good activity for you right now... doesn't take a lot of energy, and you can nap easily when space gets boring! Hope you feel much better before long!
I thought your scone was some dried up gelatin plate. LOL
I wish I had a Rachel in my midst. I'm looking for a Tea and Crit friend or two.
I love your new book! Thank you for sharing so many wonderful ideas. I know that it will fill many hours of many of my days that might otherwise have been consumed with frustration. Somehow the busy-ness of simply sewing strips of gayly colored fibers together is oh so therapeutic! I think Charlie may score another quilt with these strips!
Feel better soon - the 'usual suspects' really do miss you!
xo
Rayna, old pal- take it easy on yourself! If you don't feel like blogging about your every cough, then don't. Watch stupid tv, read bodice buster 'literature' and watch spring develop out the biggest window in your place. Just tell yourself once a day that this too will pass and you'll be fine soon, and gradually you will. Stop listening to anybody about what you should or shouldn't be accomplishing. This is your fallow time, and pretty soon everything will again be in screaming full living color! I promise. Now, go take a nap. And plan on spending time in a warm climate next winter...I can make suggestions if you need them LOL
I use this recipe http://www.houseofannie.com/the-best-cream-scones-recipe-ever/
Hope you feel better soon!
OMG, Rayna - when I opened your blog, my eye went first to the picture of your scones, and I thought it was something horrible that had ahppened to your lungs. Maybe something you hacked up, or maybe a fancy scan of the poor diseased things! What a relief to read on & discover that it was only some overly-sweet scones!
Scones that look like lungs? I am laughing out loud. I'll make them round next time.
I'm English and I use this scone recipe!!
8oz S R flour
1.75 oz butter
2 tablespoons caster sugar
4 fluid oz milk
hope this helps!
Hope you feel better soon!!
Sorry to disagree with Gill, but this is the WI ( Women's Institute recipe for plain scones )
8oz self raising flour
1/2 level tsp. salt
2oz margerine / butter
1oz caster sugar
1/4 pint of milk ( scant)
Sift flour and salt, rub in butter to breadcrumb stage.
Add sugar, mix.
Add milk and form to soft dough.
Bake in a hot oven 180 about 12 minutes.
Fruit scones, add 2oz sultanas with sugar before milk.
The best cheese scones
Omit sugar, add a level tsp. dry mustard powder and a pinch of cayenne pepper to the flour and salt.
Stir in 2oz grated cheese ( I use mature cheddar )add milk and mix.
None of these last long as we tend to eat them straight from the oven, as soon as they are cool enough to hold!
Delia Smith is the doyenne of British cookery and her recipe (illustrated, step by step) is here:
http://www.deliaonline.com/how-to-cook/baking/how-to-make-scones.html
She uses golden caster sugar, but just plain ordinary sugar will do!
Yes...blog about your cough and your depressed state of being sick and everything...how human is that...very..It balances off your brilliance:) Feel better.
I'm with Cathy Bargar on this. My first thought on seeing the image was "Bleeck"! So glad it wasn't a part of your illness. Love, Del
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