EAT / DRINK
Scouting for Scones
Bits of Britain in Milwaukee
B Y A I S H A M O T L A N I

Although a decade ago they could only be found in Milwaukee’s most exclusive tearooms or progressive bakeries, scones are becoming a common staple of today’s caf Still, people can be forgiven for being slightly wary of these wedge-shaped treats. Often their fluffy appearance will mask a heart of stone; a hardened resilience that makes them rather dangerous if hurled at speed or dropped from a great height.

Engorged with sweet fillings or drizzled with sugar, most cafcones are hardly recognizable descendents of a British fare that dates back to the early 16th century. Most sources agree that scones originated in Scotland, made of ingredients as simple as barley meal, salt and water, and typically cooked on a griddle, or sometimes even pan-fried. The invention of chemical baking agents such as bicarbonate of soda revolutionized the taste and appearance of scones. Today British scones are usually round like biscuits, split and served with jam, cream and a steaming pot of tea.

Local Offerings
American scone consumption tends to be rather unceremonious. Still, there are a few local establishments that serve them with the pomp and splendor they deserve, including the Pfister Hotel and George Watts Tea Room. On the one occasion I tried the Pfister’s scones, I found them to be rather dry. Watts’ are subtly flavored and rather bread-like—in some respects more like the British scone. They even look different; cut into triangular wedges after baking rather than before, and delicately powdered with confectioners’ sugar.

Harlequin Bakery probably makes the best scones in Milwaukee: buttery, light and not gargantuan like most of their rivals. Pastry chef Andy Schneider describes the method as fairly simple. “T hey’ re made just like biscuits would be, but the b i g g e s t thing is using fresh ingredients, whether it’s fresh cranberries or orange zest,” he says.

The only criticism one might make of Harlequin’s scones is a lack of variety, which is certainly not an issue at any of the Alterra locations. Alterra can also be commended for creating the most sizable scones. However, despite being made daily at their Riverwest bakery, Alterra’s scones are rather hard and dry.

Making the Perfect Scone
While looking for the perfect scone in Milwaukee may prove a frustrating task, making them at home is a piece of cake, and often yields the best results. The basic scone recipe is rather simple, including flour, a leavening agent, sugar, butter and milk. Many recipes also involve nuts, fruit and chocolate chips, and often suggest alternatives to milk such as buttermilk, heavy cream or sour cream. In my experience, yogurt works very well, lending the scone a smooth texture, especially when paired with an egg.

Meanwhile, Harlequin’s pastry chef feels one thing that doesn’t bear substitution is butter. “A lot of places use shortening to give more longevity to their scone,” Schneider says. “Because we make them fresh we use all butter and get more flavor out of it.”

All scone recipes require you to “rub in” the butter, a term that perplexes many people. When taught sconemaking at school, we were literally required to rub the fat into the flour until the mixture looked rather crumblike. However, many cooks use a pastry cutter or food processor, or else grate a chilled stick of butter and lightly mix it into the dry ingredients. Most cooks agree that the wet and dry ingredients shouldn’t be mixed too rigorously, and the dough shouldn’t be overworked.

This could result in a somewhat stodgy scone. On the other hand, many recipes suggest using more chemical-leavening agents, which often results in a texture that’s too light and airy (not to mention a somewhat acidic taste). Perhaps the perfect scone is poised somewhere between the density of bread and the lightness of cake, and much like everything else requires finding the right balance through a process of trial and error.

For my favorite scone recipe or to post your own scone-making tips or queries, go to www.expressmilwaukee.com.
SHEPHERD EXPRESS