got rosemary? got scones?

I think it's time to get back on track! The recipes are piling up and every day for the past two weeks I had started my day thinking, "Today I am going to get on my recipe blog and start updating the recipes."

And then someone pushed "fast forward" on my day and the day is gone and I went to bed, belly full, but my poor recipe blog neglected yet again. Today this shall change. It is July first. Half of the year officially gone by and milestones like this lights a match under my butt. After the strawberry harvest two weeks ago I had made two batches of strawberry sauce that went really well with a golden vanilla cake (our summer solstice dessert), strawberry-banana muffins, strawberry cream scones and a strawberry summer cake that had also been adapted into a sour cherry yummy cake. Yesterday I made a batch of scones that totally embarrassed me later (hang on for that story, it comes with a recipe!), chocolate coconut scones and gluten-free brownies from a box (review to come later). In-between I found a new salmon recipe that we loved, and also the rosemary-rubbed pork chops that were simply divine. All recipes shall be posted within this month.

I said it. I said it!! Now I am going to do it.

So I have been making scones. I don't even know why. I do not own a scone pan, and scones are not my favorite recipe. But I had rosemary. They looked so good at the local co-op I bought more than I intended to (for the pork chop recipe, which will be posted later) so I was left with extra rosemary. I think some mysterious divine energy wanted me to make these most scrumptious rosemary-carrot scones in the world, because my mouse clicked on this recipe over at Patent and the Pantry. And while a recipe search often ends up with me sending myself a dozen or more recipes to pick from, that fateful day I picked this one, and this one only.

And it embarrassed me.

I made them yesterday, and realized they only made a dozen. I took them to the local moms group annual potluck picnic anyways. I was the newbie and I wasn't going to show up empty-handed. 

Minutes into the picnic one mom walked to the middle of the ramada with my container raised high and asked loudly, "Who made these?!"

I was afraid she found some dead flies in there but I raised my hand, because honesty was the best policy. She looked at me and then announced, "These were AMAZING! They were FANTASTIC!! You need to give us the recipe!" And then she turned to the rest and said, "There is only one left." and then with that one scone in hand she marched to her seat, unapologetic that she had chosen not to share. This morning she emailed me and asked for the recipe again. These are good signs, calling the very following day and I hope you agree.

Gosh I was glad she enjoyed those scones! But I also did not expect that reaction and I felt my ears burning. People turned and smiled and I heard my name repeated a few times but I just lowered my head and focused on tearing apart the chicken drumstick for my girls. Inside though, my heart was grinning itself silly, and I already made plans to get more rosemary and make more scones.

 

Ready to take a bite into a most delicious rosemary-carrot scone? I hope so!

As I said, I found this recipe on Patent and the Pantry, who adapted this recipe from Chocolate and Zucchini. I prefer the former's version, her no-fuss approach to cooking is what I love. I modified a tiny bit, adding a tad more garlic, which I feel marries with the aroma of the rosemary most beautifully, and I also decided to add 3/4 cup finely grated pecorino which I had found at a local Italian bakery called Perreca's. Fine-grated is the key, to keep the texture of the scones tender and fluffy. Your kitchen will smell heavenly (and deliciously garlicky, laced with the aroma of rosemary) while these scones bake. Prepare napkins to wipe your drool. I did not have any cutters whatsoever with me and used a drinking glass as Gwendolyn did and I think that worked well, but pull out your fancy cutters if you wish! Rosemary is the herb that represents remembrance. If you make these and bring them to a potluck, you will be remembered.

Coarse-grated carrots, and rosemary also coarsely chopped

Makes 12 scones. I made a small one from the scraps, so I could sample

Rosemary-carrot Scones

Recipe adapted from Patent and the Pantry
 Makes about 12 scones (depending on size), doubling recipe recommended

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 1/4 tsp. baking powder
• 1 1/4 tsp. salt
• 9 tbsp. chilled, unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
• 1 1/2 cups grated carrots (about 2 medium carrots)
• 2 tbsp. fresh rosemary, chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, peeled and finely minced (I did add one more clove, I could not resist!)
• 2 tbsp. Dijon mustard
• 3/4 cup cream
• 3/4 cup fine-grated pecorino 

1. Preheat the oven to 350F. Place rack in middle of oven. In a mixing bowl, combine the flour, baking powder and salt. Add the butter and rub it into the flour mixture with your fingers or using a pastry blender. It should resemble coarse crumbs when it’s blended enough. Add the carrots, rosemary and cheese.
2. Mix together the mustard, cream and garlic and then add to the dry ingredients. Mix together gently until the dough comes together and then empty out onto floured counter. Pat together into a ball and then roll out until the dough is about a half-inch thick. Cut out using biscuit cutter or whatever is handy. 
3. Place on parchment-lined baking sheet and bake for 20 minutes until nice and golden. Cool on a rack.