Question for the Brits

[Tank]

You could try one with marmite.

OK, now tell me what marmite is.

Marmite is yeast extract. The product has become a byword in the UK for something that creates very polarised views i.e. you love it or hate it. I hate Marmite but love the Australian version Vegemite!

Tank is, of course, completely wrong as Marmite is the food of the gods...

How can a myth have an opinion?

[Tank]

...

Now I want scones and tea.

I know -- all this talk has made me want to take another crack at those scones and brew up a nice pot of tea.

An American, brewing a nice pot of tea! Never gonna happen 

[DeterminedJuliet]

...

Now I want scones and tea.

I know -- all this talk has made me want to take another crack at those scones and brew up a nice pot of tea.

An American, brewing a nice pot of tea! Never gonna happen 

OooOoooo! Fightin' words!

I'm a Newfoundlander, so I think I'm a qualified tea brewer We drink it with "tinned milk", though.

[Sandra Craft]

...

Now I want scones and tea.

I know -- all this talk has made me want to take another crack at those scones and brew up a nice pot of tea.

An American, brewing a nice pot of tea! Never gonna happen 

Hey!  I'll have you know I can brew tea just as well as . . . well, maybe not the next person, but I can brew tea!  I've been drinking tea since my teens, and it's been decades since I used Liptons.

[Ildiko]

They certainly are supposed to!  A quick suggestion to start with, before I get out my trusty Delia Smith recipe book. Are you rolling them out too thin? They should be 3/4" to 1 inch thick when they go into the oven. If they are too thin then they don't rise.

Bingo!  I have been rolling them out too thin.  Thanks, Ildiko.

Hooray! You need a very light touch with the rolling pin so as not to squish all the air out - often I don't use one at all for scones, just use the palm of my hand to even out the dough.

Re the cream slices, at the risk of being yelled at by the other Brits, you'll probably get better ones in a French patisserie if you have one.

In the Marmite/Vegemite war, I'm with Scissorlegs (and so is the cat).

[Tank]

...

Now I want scones and tea.

I know -- all this talk has made me want to take another crack at those scones and brew up a nice pot of tea.

An American, brewing a nice pot of tea! Never gonna happen 

Hey!  I'll have you know I can brew tea just as well as . . . well, maybe not the next person, but I can brew tea!  I've been drinking tea since my teens, and it's been decades since I used Liptons.

Pass friend, you unterstand that a cup of tepid water and a L*****s leaf bag is not, and has never been, tea. 

[Tank]

...

Now I want scones and tea.

I know -- all this talk has made me want to take another crack at those scones and brew up a nice pot of tea.

An American, brewing a nice pot of tea! Never gonna happen 

OooOoooo! Fightin' words!

I'm a Newfoundlander, so I think I'm a qualified tea brewer We drink it with "tinned milk", though.

Having spent some time in Chicago I understand why the majority of Americans don't like 'tea', they have never had a good cup in their lives. And what's more as long as L*****s is considered 'tea' they never will!

[Norfolk And Chance]

Strangely I am British and have never eaten a scone.

You're a charlatan and a fraud, sir...

I find scones dry and boring, even with butter on.

I'd rather eat proper cakes.

[Sandra Craft]

Having spent some time in Chicago I understand why the majority of Americans don't like 'tea', they have never had a good cup in their lives. And what's more as long as L*****s is considered 'tea' they never will!

For a long time, that's pretty much all the tea there was here.  Some areas had a regional tea, but Lipton's was the only one you could get anywhere and if you could drink Lipton's then you had a craving for tea.  That's changed in the last several years tho, tea and tea rooms are getting popular -- there are three tea rooms that I know of in Long Beach, and one in Seal Beach where I work.  Also one in the next city over that's run by actual Brits so I regard it as the authentic tea room.  And loose-leaf tea is becoming more popular even if it is inconvenient (and therefore unAmerican), there are lots of places where we can buy it or order it now.  There is hope of America eventually becoming a tea drinking ex-colony, even if it did take us awhile after our little snit at Boston Harbor.

[DeterminedJuliet]

Now drinking creme Earl Grey and having blueberry tea biscuits 

[Sandra Craft]

Update on the scones . . .



And yes, I did include the tea and teapot just to prove I can brew tea.  (I'm a little anal some times)

I patted the dough out to about 3/4" thick and they did rise very nicely.  I added some diced dried apricots which made the dough really sticky, and caused an extra long baking time.  Next batch I'm going with raisins, a nice dry fruit.  Also think I'll use biscuit cutters to keep the size under control -- these came out rather large.

[Stevil]

Yum, fresh scones and jam. You have to eat them fresh, there is no other way.

My grandmother used to make really nice ones.
I too have the issue that they don't rise when I make them, they end up pretty hard almost like biscuits.
I don't think I will ever win Master Chef.

[Ildiko]

I added some diced dried apricots which made the dough really sticky, and caused an extra long baking time.  Next batch I'm going with raisins, a nice dry fruit.  Also think I'll use biscuit cutters to keep the size under control -- these came out rather large.

Those look good!  Best not to comment on using dried apricots, though, except to say they are an Abomination Before the Lord of Scones. Raisins are the usual fruit. Or plain scones with butter, jam, clotted cream (and a heart attack).

Yep; they need to be circular to rise more evenly - about 2" in diameter works best for my oven. I don't have any cutters so use a small upturned glass, with the rim dipped in flour between "cuts" so the dough doesn't stick.

[Tank]

Update on the scones . . .



And yes, I did include the tea and teapot just to prove I can brew tea.  (I'm a little anal some times)

I patted the dough out to about 3/4" thick and they did rise very nicely.  I added some diced dried apricots which made the dough really sticky, and caused an extra long baking time.  Next batch I'm going with raisins, a nice dry fruit.  Also think I'll use biscuit cutters to keep the size under control -- these came out rather large.

You're getting there! You'll be a honourery Brit soon!

[Sandra Craft]

You'll be a honourery Brit soon!

That's all I've ever really wanted.  

Those look good!  Best not to comment on using dried apricots, though, except to say they are an Abomination Before the Lord of Scones. Raisins are the usual fruit. Or plain scones with butter, jam, clotted cream (and a heart attack).

Despite the fact that I love dried apricots, I have to agree with you about putting them in scones.  In addition to making the dough so sticky, they seemed to interfere with the flavor of the scone.  Next time, raisins for sure.  Is there any other fruit I could use, if I wanted to get fancy with them?