As part of an ongoing series focusing on food, The International is inviting writers to share a recipe that reminds them of home. This month, Eve Penberthy teaches us how to whip up Cheese Scones – a recipe that transports her back home to Devon, England.
By Eve Penberthy
I think of home as Devon but, more specifically, I think of my Nanny’s cooking that I had regularly while I was growing up. When thinking of a recipe from home, I knew it had to be my Nanny’s cheese scones; both a Devon classic and a family classic.
I never realised how lucky I was to grow up in Devon until I moved to London a few years ago. It’s not as easy to go on a long woodland walk and stumble into a quaint village with a gorgeous tea-room when you spend your days navigating the Jubilee line. Growing up, I spent my weeks eager to drive over to my Nanny’s house for a lunch of freshly baked cheese scones and kettle crisps- I still have the urge to make the now six hour round trip, they were that good.
And although I still get care packages sent up from home, brimming with Devon treats, I still thought that this is a recipe I should know by heart. These cheese scones are a staple that everyone should know and love, whether you’re from Devon or not.
Ingredients:
(Makes 6 scones):
225g of self-raising flour
1 teaspoon of salt
85g of cheese
50g of margarine
5-6 tablespoons of milk
Prep
Preheat the oven to 220°c or gas mark 7.
Grease a baking tray and place it to one side.
Method
Step one:
Sift flour and salt into a bowl and mix in the margarine.
Step two:
Grate the cheese and add it to the mixture. Mix well!
(Leave this part out if you want to make plain scones).
Step three:
Add the milk and keep mixing until the dough is soft (not sticky!)
Step four:
Put some flour down on the site and place your dough down. Kneed really lightly and then roll it out until it’s 1cm thick.
Step five:
Cut the dough into six 5cm rounds. Make sure to re-roll and cut the trimmings!
Step six:
Place them on a lightly greased baking tray and bake them in the oven for 12-14 minutes (until lightly golden brown & firm to the touch! Serve with jam or cream (cream first, of course) and enjoy!
Eve Penberthy is a London-based writer and artist. You can find her work here.
Eve is also part of the Bloggers Inspired collective – a group for bloggers who want to turn their brands into profitable businesses.