Trivia Time! – the Guess Who, Circa 1969 – the song? “No Time” – it came to me this morning as I was putting a batch of Pumpkin-Ginger Scones into the oven.
Excerpting from the lyrics:
No time left for you, on my way to better things…..
No time for a Summer rain…….
Distant roads are calling me……….
Seasons change and so do I, you need not wonder why……..
You can look up the remainder of the song – but this was apropo for this morning. We had a really good chill and for the first time I guess I accepted that for the most part, Summer 2013 is over. While technically we have one more week, I guess it is time to seriously think about turning the corner. I confess I am really quite happy about this because I am enjoying the cooler weather more and more. As we walked Kit yesterday morning before 8, the 55F was just lovely. And, the comfort of a good sweater is so cozy. And…. I can turn on the oven without the air conditioning on, leave the kitchen window open and bake away in my most happy state!
I spent the day in New York yesterday, enjoying Union Square, among other things, while the best of Summer is still there. I think I am in the process of unwittingly converting Christin who seems to be enjoying the market quite a lot. I love the atmosphere – everyone is happy walking around in the sunshine in what is most definitely the best time of year in New York. Am I becoming a city girl? Seems so, as I am so very drawn to the cities I love so much and think about being there constantly – New York, London, Paris, Rome, Florence, Milan, Venice and not necessarily in that order!
BTW, when you are in Tribeca, stop by at Philip Williams Posters at 122 Chambers Street. It is a real treat. I spent a couple of hours there yesterday afternoon and could have stayed longer.
Anyway, here are a few shots from yesterday’s market which I love:
Here is the recipe – sending wafting warm-spice fragrance all over the house early this morning:
PUMPKIN-GINGER SCONES – adapted from King Arthur Flour
2 3/4 cups all purpose flour
1/3 cup sugar
1 tblsp baking powder
3/4 tsp salt
3/4 tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp ground ginger
generous 1/2 tsp freshly ground nutmeg
1/4 tsp allspice
1/2 cup cold butter cut into cubes
1 1/4 cups crystalized ginger, minced
2/3 cup canned pumpkin
2 extra large eggs
1/3 cup buttermilk
egg wash
muscavado sugar for sprinkling
Preheat convection oven to 425F. In the bowl of your food processor, pulse together flour, sugar, salt, baking powder and spices. Add cubed butter and pulse until the mixture resembles coarse meal – about 10 times. Add crystalized ginger and pulse a few times just to incorporate – about 4 times. Remove mixture to a low wide bowl. I use a 13 1/4″ bowl.
In s separate bowl, whisk together the eggs, pumpkin and buttermilk. Make a well in the center of the flour mixture. Pour in the pumpkin/egg/buttermilk mixture. Gently mix with a dough scraper until it just comes together. Remove to a parchment lined sheet pan. Press into a 8″ round which is about 1 1/4″ high. Cut into 8 wedges with a dough scraper or sharp knife. Place scones in the freezer for 30 minutes.
Remove, brush with egg wash and sprinkle with muscavado sugar. Bake for 20 minutes or until centers are baked through. You may need to separate the scones a little bit towards the end with a very sharp serrated knife.
I was tempted to put a maple syrup glaze on these but they were so gorgeous and fragrant when they came out of the oven, I couldn’t embellish them one bit!
If however, I were serving these at tea-time, I’d put a dollop of Ginger-Créme Fråiche, whipped cream or mascarpone on the side or top.
Hope you enjoy – these are wonderful………
