My friend Rebecca–sharp as a tack–noticed the scones on the table in “Samantha’s List.”  I had four lasagnas in the oven that morning for a 10 o’clock pick up and if the oven is already on, may as well get some scones in there for breakfast and ready for the camera at 10:30.  It’s amazing what you can get done before the sun gets up.  I had sheets of noodles rolled out and hanging by the window, eggplants and peppers roasted, baby leaves of spinach rinsed and waiting, parmesan grated, a marinara sauce on the front of the stove and a Bolognese on the back–simmered for three hours with spills of deep red wine and rich homemade chicken stock to take it to the heights a good meat sauce needs to reach for before I’m going to let it in a lasagna.

The scones are with dried cranberries and pears and lemon zest. The trick is, rub cold butter in with your fingers, and mix in just enough milk, and mix, just until you don’t see any more flour.

3 cups flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup sugar

1/3 cup dried fruit

1/2 teaspoon of fresh lemon zest
mix those together and rub in with your fingertips, 6 tablespoons of cold butter, cut into bits.
Add just enough whole milk (about 2/3 cup) to make a thick, stiff like mud texture, using your hand to incorporate the milk.

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.  Grease a cookie sheet, and blop them on there.  Brush with a whole, beaten egg that has a drop of water added to it, and then sprinkle the tops with sugar.