Monday, August 2, 2010

Raspberry Scones and a Delightful Scottish Giveaway!


I am really late in posting this thank you, but better late than never, I hope. Sometime in early June I won a fabulous giveaway from my dear friend Sophia over at Scotland for the Senses, a really well done, entertaining, funny, and extremely informative blog about every sensual part of Scotland. Sophia's is the first blog I ever visited, and I happened to do so the day she was recognized as a 'blogger of note'. There has never been a more deserving recipient of that fine distinction, of that I am sure.
(These are my raspberry scones...Yum! More about them in a bit!)

Back to the giveaway. I am a really enthusiastic and long-standing tea drinker. This is something that I have shared with each of my five children, mint tea, red rose, chamomile, you name it. We do the whole ritual, scones or biscuits or hot cinnamon toast, assorted colorful teapots and special cups and saucers that I have picked up at a variety of flea market, second hand store type places. I even have real teaspoons that are just perfect for chubby toddler hands. They all love it and get quite excited everytime we bring out the tea 'things'.


So I was understandably excited when Sophia offered a wonderful assortment of different Scottish teas from the Edinburgh Tea and Coffee Co. as a giveaway, including her particular favorite, Scottish Breakfast tea. She also included a bag of English breakfast tea to compare.


I couldn't believe it when she announced that I had won! Thank you so much Sophia! I have tried both the Scottish and English breakfast teas, and definitely think the Scottish variety is best! I have also tried the heather tea, which is quite mild and delightful too. I am slowly working my way through the box, and will be very sad when the last of this Scottish assortment is gone!






On to the scones...




In the summer, I take advantage of the bounty of local fruit and make scones several times a week for the boys and especially for my sweetie. The little boys and I deliver these tasty yummies to whichever boat Papa is working on that morning, fresh, usually with an iced mocha in tow. Just one way of showing how much we appreciate our Papa and how hard he works for us. (Summer is crazy busy in the Boat Repair business!!!) Don't you all think that is one of the most important things we can do for our lovely mates, let them know how much we appreciate them on a regular basis?
I have tried several different kinds of berries, but the general consensus seems to be that the raspberry scones are the very best. So that is what I usually make.



I have to agree ~ it is really difficult to eat just one of these yummy treats!

I use a wonderful scone mix called Fisher's Original Fair Scone Mix, roll it out into a rectangle shape about 1/2 an inch thick. I then load half of the rectangle with crushed fresh raspberries, lightly sugared, and then fold the
top half of the rectangle over the berried half. With fork tines I seal the edges all the way round.
I spoon more crushed raspberries on the top of the scones, sugar the whole rectangle with raw organic sugar, and finish by cutting them into triangles and baking them for just 13 minutes. They are a huge hit with the whole family!



A posting including pics would not be complete without at least one of the boys popping up...This is little Eamonn, with his cheeky grin and mischievious eyes... He has given us a run for our money this summer, but his exhuberence is just so contageous you have to scoop him up and hug and kiss all over him about 20 times a day!
Hope you are all making wonderful memories this summer too! Summery smiles and hugs to you all!


11 comments:

Michael said...

A fellow tea enthusiast! Yippee! the differnce is though somehow you manged to pass it on to your kids. I didn;t. I did try though!

BTW, I love Scottish blend tea, if you;ve every had it. has to be my fave black tea. Those scones are INCREDIBLE . wow. I would LOVE to try those too. how very very fun to have won! Love it.

Julia Christie said...

Thank you so much for stopping by Mmm! A scone and tea party do you think...? Mmmm indeed!

Alexandra MacVean said...

Hi Julia,

Why don't you stop by one night this week and we'll get all cozy together!! I'll make you the PERFECT cup of tea. Hee

Love ya! xo

Dear Fireflies said...

Now, Julia. If I were a caveman, I would kill a dino to have a cavewoman like you!!! Hahahahaa... You're right, sometimes we forget that our partners need that little extra attention. It isn't always about 'us', isn't it? :))

Well, glad you're enjoying summer with your little tea parties. I'm nuts for jasmine tea, by the way. And Japanese ocha is lovely too. (^___^) oxx

WrightStuff said...

Oh yum, just looks at those scones. A nice cup of Earl Grey would be the perfect complement - that, and a very large dollop of Cornish clotted cream :)

Rebecca Anthony said...

These scones look incredible, I am a huge fan of tea as well. It is part of my everyday. I'm so glad you posted this so I could also find Sophia's blog. It's been years since I was in Scotland and this brings it all back. I'm so glad you're enjoying your summer, the photo of Eamonn is precious!

Marlene said...

Julia, Eamonn is adorable! I too enjoy a cup of tea most any kind will do. I love iced tea in the Summer, my favorite is made with Black Tea. I will have to look for Scottish tea and give it a try. The scones look so yummy, thank you for sharing how you made them.

Julia Christie said...

Amalia, You are too sweet. I try to be appreciative of my sweetie and sometimes I have to stamp my feet when I want some appreciation back, but one thing I am certain of - taking each other for granted is the worst thing you can do. It's all in the little things for sure.

Sophia,
don't you wish we could just hang out, curl up our toes, and chat with a good n hot cuppa? Sounds divine!

Lisa,
the cornish clotted cream sounds like the perfect topping! Yumm!

Rebecca,
Glad you found Sophia. She is truly amazing and her blog is so much fun!

Marlene,
wish we could enjoy a cup of your iced tea up at your mountain place. I have always been very drawn to the mountains and it would be so fun to do a girls trip. Wish we could all have a scone and tea party!

Heather said...

Hi Julia,
Save a scone for me, too!! I will bring a coffee from stabucks and we can catch up on art, being women and being mommies!!!

Love the picture of your little man, too! what a darling!

xxoo
Heather

Julia Christie said...

Hi Heather,
It's a date!

Tammie Lee said...

such a wonderful gift from Sophia! Ummm to yummy teas. I once won something from her as well. She is a generous delightful woman. And those scones, wowzers.....