One of Barbara’s beauties…(image Alan Benson)
Hello everyone
As the autumn chill set in some weeks ago and the leaves turned to golden hues…I got a hankering…for scones!
I guess I could have just made a batch but instead my thoughts turned to BARBARA SWEENEY and her passion for making and sharing her bountiful knowledge about these drops of pure delight. From there it was but a hop, skip and jump of an idea to imagine scones into the setting of one of our intimate, seasonal garden events!
And so…I am delighted to invite you to an EARLY WINTER GARDEN VISIT & SCONE SESSION on SUNDAY 25 JUNE.
Now that Barbara has sent me this delectable image of one of her mouth-watering beauties, I can barely contain my impatience for the date to arrive!
We would love you to join us for a making session where Barbara will share her hard-won knowledge and all the practical tips she’s learned in her longterm quest to make the perfect scone. Barbara has made every scone recipe she’s ever stumbled across so believe me…she knows a thing or two!
We’re going to schedule two individual scone sessions: one at 10.30am and one at 11.30am. That will allow enough time for each group to be completely immersed in Barbara’s delightful descriptions of ingredients, history and method; as she sifts, mixes and stirs, before popping them into the oven for you to devour the very moment they’re out…risen, golden and steaming! Barbara will be discussing and baking two different varieties: traditional buttermilk and a soft cream scone; and you will enjoy one of each with a cup of tea, a garden view, a spoonful of this season’s Rhubarb & Elderflower jam and naturally…a luscious dollop of cream!
A garden wander will reveal the final throes of last season’s herbaceous plants before their hard winter pruning, the bare bones of the garden not quite yet exposed and the remaining few coloured leaves clinging on for dear life. The days at this time of year are inclined to sparkle – a photographer’s delight. Equally, the kitchen garden will be in full throttle with burgeoning winter produce. If anyone has winter pruning questions, I’ll be happy to get out my secateurs (and saw if need be!) to demonstrate.
Between 1.00 and 1.30 pm there will be a bowl of pumpkin soup for everyone back in the loggia and at 1.30 I’ll be happy to open the Barn for anyone who wants a quick look and a pootle inside. If we fill the morning sessions, we might be tempted to run an extra 2pm scone session…let’s just see how we go!
All the details and the booking form are here and if you have any questions at all, please don’t hesitate to get in touch. If you want to know anything about scones and would like to improve your own, this is the cooking (and eating) session for you!
Barbara and I will both so look forward to seeing and enjoying scones with you in the early winter garden.
With very best wishes,
Mickey
