From “The Hobbit”—Bilbo’s Pantry
Some of the dwarves demolish Bilbo’s beautiful round seed-cakes (see my previous post) and are now “starting on a round of buttered scones.” The furious and “altogether bewildered and bewuthered” Bilbo now takes requests from all the dwarves and Gandalf, who, Bilbo suspects, “Seems to know as much about the inside of my larders as I do myself!” Perhaps this is true; the items requested are quite specific, as if Gandalf had issued a menu to the dwarves before they all came to Bag-End. One never really knows what Gandalf has been up to…
If you don’t like sage, feel free to substitute your favorite herb. Dry herbs are fine, though I’m sure Professor Tolkien would prefer that you use fresh. Lovely with soups and stews or a hearty option for your afternoon tea. Does anyone have afternoon tea anymore? Maybe we should make time for that kind of event…
“Cheddar Sage Scones”
- 1¼ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 cup cake flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ¾ teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon dry sage or 2-3 tablespoons fresh sage, minced
- ½ cup soft salted butter
- 4 ounces sharp Cheddar cheese, shredded
- ½ cup 1% milk, room temperature
- 1 extra large egg, room temperature
Preheat oven to 400°. Coat a large baking sheet with cooking spray or grease lightly. In a large bowl, combine the first 6 ingredients. Add the butter and cheese and combine. In a 1-cup glass measure, whisk together the milk and egg, then add to flour mixture and combine just until incorporated. Turn out onto a floured surface. With floured hands, knead dough a few times, then pat into a 1″ thick circle, about 8″ in diameter. Cut into 8 wedges. Place on prepared sheet 1″ apart. Bake at 400° for 12-16 minutes, until light golden brown on bottom. Let stand 5 minutes on pan. Keep leftovers covered at room temperature. Makes 8.
