HILUXURY – Hawaii Luxury Magazine

There are many things you ought to know if you’re thinking of preparing the perfect afternoon tea. But no detail is more important than the pronunciation of the word “scone.” It’s “skon,” similar to “gone” or “bon.” Not “scone” as in “bone” or “phone.”

And since we’re on the subject, the etiquette of afternoon tea is as important as the tea itself. It is, after all, a tradition steeped in British roots.

Scones should be warm. Cream should be clotted and spread like thick butter. Jam should be strawberry, and tea should be black, not green or fruit flavored.

Clotted cream is essential, but while making the sweet, thick cream is relatively simple (basically scalding milk for about eight hours, then allowing the pot to cool for several more), it’s a time-consuming process that requires unpasteurized milk for true success.

You’ll find pots of clotted cream at R. Field Wine Company or online (www. britishdelights.com), but our advice is to seek out the wonderful ladies at Naked Cow Dairy in Waianae. The sweet, heavy, homegrown cream is available in very limited supplies and is so delicious, you might be tempted to eat it straight from the spoon.

And for an excellent example of a perfect clotted cream tea, there’s Tea at 1024, Michelle Henry’s haven of heavenly teas on Nuuanu Avenue. “We make our scones in the traditional way (part cake, part biscuit, never iced),” says Henry. “And our clotted cream comes from England.”

Traditional Scone Recipe

Ingredients:

* 1 ³/4 cups all-purpose flour
* 4 teaspoons baking powder
* ¹/4 cup sugar
* ¹/4 teaspoon salt
* ¹/2 cup raisins
* ¹/2 cup milk, plus 1 tablespoon
* ¹/4 cup sour cream
* 5 tablespoons butter (cut into chunks; cold, not room temperature)
* 1 egg (beaten)

Method:

Heat oven to 400 degrees.

Sift flour, baking powder, sugar and salt. Add butter and break into flour mixture with your fingers. Add raisins, milk and sour cream to bowl and mix until combined. Do not overwork the dough.

Form into balls and place on greased cookie sheet. Flatten slightly. Brush with egg and milk mixture.

Bake for 10-12 minutes until top is golden brown. Serve immediately.