This is the first time I have ever joined NaNoWriMo so I'm not sure how it's going to work. I also don't know if The Order of Curse-Bound Knights is going to be a novella or a full-length novel...we shall see. (To read an excerpt of this book, please scroll down a couple of posts.)
Because of this writing goal, I probably won't be posting much in the month of November. Between writing and family holiday stuff, I just won't have time.
If you're interested in winning signed copies of my books or book-themed swag while I work on Max and Nadia's story, then visit my Facebook Fan Pages... ;)
Before I sign off to the past and my world of vampires, here are a couple of announcements. My husband is working on formatting the update of Fair Maiden and Sophia's Cookbook for Mortals for print! I'm trying to get the Cookbook spiral-bound so it lays flat nicely. I'm still trying to find the perfect printer for that option.
Enjoy this preview of the new look for Fair Maiden and the front and back of the Cookbook. Plus, I'll be contacting everyone I know as I search for my Max and Nadia cover models...
Honestly, I don't really think I deserve as much praise as Emillia, one of my amazing readers, gives me with this. But I'm extremely humbled that my silly cookbook could touch someone's life in this way. Anyway, I was soooo moved, I just had to share it with you.
Emillia posted pictures of a fairy party she did for her daughters to help celebrate the life of her dear mother, who adored fairies. Emillia is a wonderful mother!!! Check this out!
"OK so I have to say I didn't handle my moms passing as well as I thought I
would...I also do
not want my girls to forget Grandma Kairlee...When my girls think of
fairies they always think of my mom because my mom had loved fairies and such.
she even glued a little fairy door in her room."
"I bundled up a party package with a letter from "Grandma Kairlee" and left
it on our doorstep and doorbell ditched my house. I told them it was from
Grandma Kairlee and read their notes to them. It really helped Itylee who was
having a hard time with dealing with her death. So I thought it was time to
throw another party. I had told my girls Grandma must of had help from the
fairies to make all these magical fairy food. They were so happy just to think
Grandma and Fairies had come to our house while they slept."
(I thought this was such a cute idea. ~Cheri)
"I was so lucky to
have just bought the BEST cookbook in the world recently. It's called Sophia's
Cookbook For Mortals by Cheri Schmidt. It's a cook book from a point of view of
one of her character from her Fateful trilogy and has recipes from some of the
stuff they ate in the books, and lucky for me there is a section of fairy food!
It was perfect, and the recipes are amazing!!
I highly suggest
all of her books and if your lucky you might be able to get them while they are
on sale! I got Sophia's Cookbook For Mortal for only .99 cents. Best .99 cents I
have ever spent!!"
(Now I'm blushing...~Cheri)
"This book is more
than a cookbook to me. It's has really help in my healing process too. I know my
mom would of totally loved all of Cheri Schmidt's books and I really wish I
could of shared them with her, but for now when I read or make something like
fairy food it really helps me remember my mom and how amazing she was and I know
this is something she would do. So thank you Cheri you have really made a
difference in my life with your books. Don't ever stop writing!"
(And now I'm crying...~Cheri~ If you'd like to read the entire post, go here.)
Dear Emillia took some great pictures. Below you'll see Raspberry-Kissed Lemon Fairy Cake, Fariy Cakes with a lemon curd filling, Fairy Fruit Dip, Inside-Out Cheescake Bites, and Magic Fairy Juice. All of these recipes are in Sophia's Cookbook for Mortals, but I think she added her own charming spin on them, and actually made them better than I do. (How sweet is this?)
One reason I was so very moved by this is that even though I haven't lost my mother yet, she also loves fairies, so obviously, I can really relate! My mother is probably the one who started my love for fairies in the first place. She had an old copy of this book:
I would spend hours upon hours of time just looking at all of the illustrations. So when I grew up and got married, I asked for it. My wonderful mom, said yes! The copy I have is an antique, and it's a bit tattered. Plus I fear I was the silly child who drew in it. : ( I don't remember doing it, so I suspect I was too young to know better.
And, you might like this if you love whimsical things, but The Giant Golden Book of Elves and Fairies is in print again!!! I bought a copy of this too, so now I have an old one and a new one. So cool! Well, at least I think so...but I'm weird and sappy like that...
Anyway, because of my "fairy-loving past" I saw Emillia's idea as extremely thoughtful and charming. What a wonderful way to keep fond memories of Grandma in their lives!
An announcement about the cookbook mentioned in this post:
~This cookbook will be signed up into Amazon's Prime program sometime this week. So if you have Nook or Kobo, this is your chance to snatch up Sophia’s Cookbook for Mortals! Don't miss out!~
You can put your ereader right on your cookbook stand! How handy is that? Or, if you prefer print, This cookbook will soon be available as a spiral-bound book. Just as soon as I finish with the back cover, it will be released.
To get the ebook of Sophia's Cookbook for Mortals with lots of fairy-friendly recipes click on one of the links below.
The Amazon Prime program expired on the Fateful Trilogy, and per your request, I have those books again available to my wonderful Kobo and Nook readers. However, since Kobo has been up, I've only sold one book. Just one copy of Fateful, and even while Sophia's Cookbook for Mortals was actually FREE for Kobo? : (
Please tell your friends who have Kobo or Nook ereaders about the availability of my books to them. I don't want them to miss out, especially since Sophia's Cookbook will soon be enrolled into Amazon Prime and will only be available to them for a limited time! (Find links to all of my books sold internationally at the bottom of this post.)
Anyway, back to the giveaway...Are you enjoying the London Olympics? I hope so! It makes me REALLY want to visit again. I'm not much of a big city girl, but I absolutely loved London. It's no surprise my books are all based in England. I just can't seem to help myself. Maybe that's because my family roots from both my mother and my father come directly from England. Herefordshire, to be exact. So, if you're like me, and can't be there for the Olympics, maybe I can bring a bit of London to you with my stories.
The Prize:
The Nook, or Kobo, or Kindle eBook copy of either Fateful or Sophia's Cookbook for Mortals. (You must have an account with either Barnes & Noble, Kobo, or Amazon to accept this prize. USA only UNLESS you have an account with those US sites, then you may enter. Kobo can go to Canadian or US readers.)
To Enter:
This giveaway is now closed, I will contact you if you won. Curious about this series? Check out the most recent review of the trilogy by one of my UK readers:
"The Fateful series was what I can only describe as a
beautifully sweet vampire tale narrated using the style of Jane
Austen.
Set in the present day, Danielle isn't your usual main
female character. She's not a tomboy trying to act tough, she's not an
antisocial creature because she's peculiar in some unexpected way and she hasn't
got a personality that sets her apart from the usual crowd. Danielle is a
regular girly girl. She doesn't do blood, gore, violence, injuries or dead
bodies (undead or otherwise). It almost felt like she had been
literature-transplanted out of a Jane Auste novel and into modern day time with
a couple of upgrades. With a penchant for wearing skirts and dresses, a fondness
for pastel colours and a rather strong artistic streak for painting scenery;
Danielle was a typical girl and not what most recent heroines are like. Her
parents were so concerned with her fragility and female defenselessness that
they insisted she have karate lessons, to the extent that when we meet her she
is a lethal-when-necessary black belt. The good this will do her, in the
paranormal world she is rudely awakened to, I'm not sure
of. The combination of strength and weakness in this
character was complex and forever changing depending on the perceived angle,
forcing me to stop and reflect several times. The fact that she was able to defend herself in our
reality, but that when put into the context of a paranormal one she was weak and
harmless made her all the more real to me.
Through all her trials, adventures, fortunes and
misfortunes, unlike most characters who adapt quickly to the knew knowledge,
Danielle remained faithful to her beliefs, ideals and female
squirmishness. From what would appear a very simple and easy to
understand character, I would not have expected the depth and incredible number
of facets that I found. Danielle's simplicity was endearing and eye opening,
making me dwell and appreciate aspects of a paranormal romance and situations I
had not previously considered.
Ofcourse this series would not be complete unless our
Austen-like fan, found her corresponding Mr Darcy.
Ethan was a worthy Mr Darcy alter-ego for this paranormal
romance. Forever a gentleman despite the course of centuries having passed him
by, he held fast to his upbringing, ideals and traditions. The only modern thing
about him were his clothes (which he had no choice in unless he wanted to arouse
suspicion and generate medical mental health interest) and his love for his
cars. I found his jealous and slightly possessive streak surprisingly sweet and
funny, considering he had nothing to fear as Danielle had eyes for no
other. He was a Mr Darcy attempting to adapt to the current
century whilst desperately trying to cling to his ways of life, and I loved
every second I read of it. He was a night in regular clothing but who knew how
to wield a sword, treat a girl like a lady and get any parents' blessing. What
can I say, he was without a doubt too good to be true. True to his century he was looking for someone special, a
girl and not a tomboy; someone to whom he'd be willing to give the world and his
life.
Unlike most romances, Ethan and Danielle didn't fight
what they felt for each other. They knew it to be true and real, which is all
that mattered to them. What they did have to fight was everyone else, to
preserve what they had and their future.
Cheri Schmidt narrated their sweetly moving story, that
revealed itself to be more than I expected. Confronting present day issues and
morals, the more I read the more I enjoyed it. I
particularly appreciated Cheri Schmidt's ability to describe beautifully
romantic scenes that made me feel at peace whilst sitting alongside the
characters.
Everything about this series screamed Jane Austen, from
the setting, the manner of speaking, down to the behavioural quirks. Being an
admirer of Jane Austen's work, narrative style and storyline I very much enjoyed
this series. Unlike most paranormal romances which are described as forever but
feel more like an immediate lightning passion, The Fateful series spoke of a
steady strong burn that would last forever where it counts the most: heart and
mind.
The Fateful series was a sweet and tender paranormal
romance that I would recommend to anyone in search for a tale of modern nights
in shining armour with a hint of magic." Still curious about this series? Maybe you could try Sophia's Cookbook for Mortals which contains excerpts and real recipes used by the characters of these novels. The recipe for the fairy cake pictured here is included. They're filled with homemade lemon curd and are simply divine....
If you've already read and loved The Fateful Trilogy, then enter the giveaway only for my readers that is posted on my Fateful Facebook fan page and win a signed copy!!!
If you'd rather have print, discounted copies are available from Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and for free international shipping, get your books from The Book Depository. Of course, signed copies, that include a handmade beaded bookmark, are also available from my website. ;)
Honestly, I WISH my days of summer were actually lazy! But they never are...LOL..sigh...
Anyway, if they were, I'd absolutley love to just read and read and read, well, and write and write.... Perhaps you're like me, and your favorite passtime is to read. And perhaps you not like me, and your summer is nice and lazy. If you're lucky, and that is the case, I'm going to offer eBooks as the prize this time because then I can give you instant delivery so you can instantly start reading!
The Prize:
The Nook, or Kobo, or Kindle eBook copy of either Fateful, Fractured, or Forever. Winner's choice of one book! (You must have an account with either Barnes & Noble, Kobo, or Amazon to accept this prize. USA only.)
To Enter:
This giveaway is now closed. Thank you for your entries! I will contact the winner via email very soon.
And now for the sale... For a limited time, The Fateful Trilogy ebooks will be discounted!!!
(It looks like the only prices that have updated are on Barnes & Noble. I'll edit this post when the prices are updated on Amazon and Kobo. ;)
If you're not familiar with the Fateful Trilogy, here is a description of how the idea for this series came to me. After my teenage daughter wrote a short story based on the Frog Prince, I started thinking--what if the prince was cursed with being a vampire rather than being turned into a frog? And then I decided this character would be more interesting to me if he was British and like a modern-day Mr. Darcy. What I came up with was a young adult vampire romance with an Austen twist...
Synopsis:
A huge fan of Jane Austen, Danielle hopes to find her own Mr. Darcy when she leaves Colorado to attend art school in London. Of course she knows it's silly to wish for that, naive even. But she's met enough males who lacked respect for women, a growing trend it seemed. And at nineteen...well.... However, on only her second night there she gets lost and is threatened by a stalker who proves to be immune to her martial arts training. Before she is completely overpowered, she is then saved by Ethan Deveroux.
While Danielle does find the romance she seeks in Ethan, he's no Mr. Darcy. Her hero is held by a spell which fractures their chance at a happy ending. During the day Ethan is closer to mortal than immortal and can date her like any other man. Yet, as the sun sets, the powerful magic of an ancient curse returns and the evil of that spell is revealed. When that magic begins, Danielle's fairytale romance ends because Ethan Deveroux is a vampire.
...Note: This series is not suitable for anyone who doesn't like glittering fairies, vicious pixies, hot vampires, the dashing Mr. Darcy, arachnids, or large amounts of snogging...
If you're still not sure if this series is for you, then perhaps you could try out Sophia's Cookbook for Mortals first. It's only .99 cents and it contains recipes based on the books and excerpts from each book. (This cookbook is FREE if you have Kobo right now, but the book will soon be enrolled into Amazon's Prime program. Please tell your friends who have Kobo and Nook to get their copy of the cookbook before it's no longer available to them.)
5~Star review of Sophia's Cookbook for Mortals by Natalie: (Thanks, Natalie!)
"Sophia's Cookbook for Mortals is so much more than a few recipes. First off I must say that the author has done a great job on the cover; Cheri's book covers are always beautiful. The cookbook starts off with an introduction by the author and also Sophia. "Enjoy my dear little mortals! I envy your taste buds." Then the recipes are divided into seven sections: Finger Foods and Dips / Soups, Sides, and Salads / Main Dishes / Breakfast / Tea Party / Fairy Refreshments / Puddings, Afters, and Desserts. Each section is introduced by Sophia and following her words is an excerpt from the Fateful Trilogy. I think the addition of the excerpts provides us readers a fun way to reminisce our way through the trilogy. And not only is each section introduced by Sophia, but she has something personal to say about each and every recipe! All the sections are full of delicious looking recipes begging to be tried; 71 in all. I'm looking forward to trying the Shrimp Taco's with a Honey-Butter Sauce and the White Chocolate Fairy Berry Cupcakes, among many others. There is also more traditional foods like Chicken Noodle Soup for Sick Mortals. Included at the end of the cookbook is an excerpt from the upcoming Max and Nadia Story by the same author. (Can't wait for that one!) I think this cookbook is appropriate for both fans of the Fateful Trilogy and those who are curious about it. Though the excerpts contain spoilers if you haven't read the trilogy. Well done Cheri!"
~Sale & Giveaway run from now until August 1st~
If you've already read and loved the eBook copies of The Fateful Trilogy, then enter the giveaway only for my readers that is posted on my Fateful Facebook fan page and win a signed copy!!!
If you'd rather have print, discounted copies are available from Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and for free international shipping, get your books from The Book Depository. Of course, signed copies, that include a handmade beaded bookmark, are also available from my website.
Happy summer reading and thank you so much for visiting my blog! For many more chances to win free stuff, go here I Am a Reader, Not a Writer, or hereColorimetry! Up next...the Leibster Blog Award...
This is Drew, Cheri's Husband. It's Mother's Day and Cheri has a new book out. I spent a good portion of Saturday formatting it and getting it converted over to the Kindle Format for her. So Happy Mother's Day to Cheri and all the rest of you mothers and mothers to be out there.
For today our girls, her daughters, are making her dinner and dessert. Now to give you a little bit of insight I'll let you in on a secret. For dinner, she requested Chicken Picatta. It's one of the recipes that found it's way into Sophia's Cookbook. It's also one of her favorites. We normally make it for her birthday and Mother's Day!
For desert she's requested Fairy Cakes. These are about the most unmanly cakes around. First, they are called FAIRY CAKES. Second, they are really glorified cupcakes but you can't eat them with your hands. You really need a plate and fork. Trust me, I've tried...when she wasn't looking... And even then, I was standing over the sink and then had to wash my hands when I was done. Yet even after all of my complaining, I'll have to admit, these are TASTY!!! Really tasty. And they can also be found in Sophia's Cookbook for Mortals. And while they look rather complicated to make, they aren't that bad.
If you have read Cheri's books, you may have realized we like to cook and we like food. A good portion of these recipes are ones that our family loves. So Happy Mother's Day to everyone! A special Happy Mother's Day to my wife! And if you like her books, tell her thank you by picking up a copy of Sophia's Cookbook for Mortals. It's only 99 cents!
I was always the good girl, and when I first read the title
of our topic, well, I was completely lost. I’ve never put the use of "substance" in any of my books either. So I’ve chosen a different excerpt where the
characters are under the influence of something else...fairy magic....
From Forever, Ethan's point of view: (Hint-start the music at the bottom before you start reading. ;)
It
seemed there were no adverse side effects to consuming food tainted with fey
magic. It’s true that he felt slightly ... what was the word? He wouldn’t say
drunk exactly, because he didn’t feel out of control like that. He didn’t feel
muddled either, but ... perhaps the word he was looking for was charmed. And
healed, he thought, as his hand slid beneath the table and dropped to his knee.
That felt even better than it had before he’d been dropped by the pixies and
the juice had been the only thing where he could feel the magic work within his
body.
His
gaze swung to Danielle who was licking her fingers clean of something purple
and sticky-looking. Clearly she had completely forgotten her upset from
earlier. The look of pleasure that curled her mouth into a contented smile told
him that. He mentally thanked Alora and the other fairies for the small gift as
he vowed to offer his gratitude in person later. She still wore her shirt instead
of having it tied around her waist and he was grateful for that too. Ethan
didn’t know how much longer he could restrain the streak of violent jealously
within him when he’d caught Casanova noticing how snuggly her T-shirt hugged
her fully-bloomed body.
Making
a visual pass over the table, his eyes landed on the guards. It seemed they
were finished eating as well. The two who irritated him the most, Casanova and
Richard, were busy talking at the far end of the table. Night had fallen and
the vampires were on guard with their magic, avoiding his gaze and keeping a
physical distance.
Leaning
back in his chair, he again watched his wife. The persistent beat of the music
pounded through his veins and he decided he really wanted to dance. With her. “Shall
we?” he asked, although he frowned at how strange his voice sounded. He
couldn’t pinpoint what was wrong with it either, so he shrugged it off and
reached for her hand.
She
giggled and mingled her fingers with his. “I’d love to.”
As
they moved toward the dance area, fairies flitted about, as some danced alone
and others twirled like couples in love. The colorful glow coming off the
fairies looked quite a bit like laser lights as they streaked from one side of
the clearing to the other. And the way the darkened trees glittered with fairy
dust seemed just like a mirrored ball hung somewhere unseen within this wooded
place. For some odd reason, he had to concentrate really hard to find his voice
when he commented on the scene. “It’s like we’re at a dance club.”
Danielle
glanced around, and it seemed like she was having as much trouble finding words
as he was. “Hmm, I hadn’t thought of it like that before.” She laughed and then
murmured, “I just love dancing with the fairies.”
He
loved it too, but again, that was something he couldn’t bring himself to own to
verbally. Too girly. Instead he grinned, and lifting her right arm, he twirled her in a
circle. She staggered slightly but smiled when he led her into another spin
before capturing her about the waist.
Ethan
kept Danielle well outside the ring of mushrooms where many fairies pranced on
top of the red and white spotted fungi. First, he didn’t wish to step on any of
them, and second, he recalled their strict warning about never wandering into
the ring.
The
lilting measure slowed until it became a tender melody that moved the soul, and
Danielle’s arms came up around his neck. He drew her close and smiled down at
her as they began to sway to the music. Her pretty face tipped up and she
returned the smile. She’d undone her hair. The braided sections of it had
maintained a wave that caressed her left cheek and drew his fingers. As the
silky strands slipped through his fingertips, he decided she looked like a
beguiling wood-nymph with the naughty intention of stealing his heart. But she can’t steal something she already possesses,
he thought with a laugh.
The
sight of her made his heart squeeze and he was easily entranced by her clear
eyes that looked more like shards of steel-blue instead of brown in this
subdued lighting that leached color from everything. His deep love for her rose
up within him and he suddenly found it hard to breathe because he was reminded
of all the things threatening to take her away. With his lungs seizing, Ethan
wondered how much longer she could tolerate the danger his past had brought to
her life. While leaving her would never be an option for him because that would
not bring her safety, in the back of
his mind he feared she might actually leave him.
He was the one in danger of losing
everything.... Ethan attempted to swallow whatever it was lodged in his throat.
If she left him, the guards, who were much more loyal to her than him, would
follow ... and then they’d move in on her. They weren’t weak and mortal like
him. They didn’t need glasses like he did. He nudged them up the bridge of his
nose because they’d slipped. His nostrils flared. He held his breath and ground
his teeth.
“Are
you okay?” she asked, jerking him out of his internal panic with the
soft-spoken query.
Catching
his eye, Danielle gave him that look of hers that told his soul she loved no
one more than him, knew no one else like she knew him. It was that look that
brought back such a strong sense of recognition between them that he couldn’t
question how she felt about him. Somehow he knew they’d felt this way about one
another for much longer than either had been alive. So why was he questioning
her commitment now when he never had before? Ethan let himself breathe again.
He noticed the fine tremble that had started in his fingers when he trailed the
backs of them along the high bone of her cheek. But even with that knowledge in
his head, he couldn’t stop himself from saying, “Please don’t ever leave me.”
She
blinked at that. “Have you lost your mind? I could never leave you.”
Mentally
shaking his head, Ethan wondered what was wrong with his brain. His thoughts
were clearly not rational at all. One moment he was laughing like a fool and
the next he was on the edge of sheer anxiety. “Forgive me, it seems I—”
Danielle’s
mouth mashed against his so quickly he just stood there for a moment with his
eyes wide. They flickered shut as the taste of her touched his tongue and he
hugged her to his chest more tightly than he should. She squeaked and he
loosened his grip, but only a little. His amazing wife kissed him until she
brought comfort back into his mind. Bless her. Ethan was sure she had no idea how
much he needed that kiss at that moment, but he was eternally grateful to her
for it.
With
the change in rhythm of the music, his mood returned to his wish to dance. The
tune sounded suspiciously like a samba. In the quiet depths of his thoughts,
the roller coaster of emotions within him still seemed irrational, but he
didn’t take the time to try and figure it out. He was surprised the fairies
even knew such a tune, but he went with it anyway and led Danielle into the
bouncy dance.
Laughing
and looking at him like perhaps he had lost his mind, she asked, “What is
this?”
“It
sounds like a samba to me.”
“No
way!”
With
a wink, Ethan held her hand in his left and placed his right hand on her
shoulder blade. “Do you know the ballroom samba?”
“Kind
of.”
They
made a pass around the fairy ring and Ethan decided she knew how to shake it
better than “kind of,” the little minx. He was practically drooling with the
way she rolled her hips, the way her clothes stretched over her sexy curves,
the way she smirked at him with desire in her eyes. Deciding he needed to kiss
her again, Ethan drew her back against his chest. His thumb found the bottom
edge of her jawbone as he carefully nudged her face toward his. Stepping backward,
he administered the sort of snogging she deserved for moving like that.
As
the music lulled him into a magic-induced bliss, his focus became only that and
Danielle. Then in one moment he was kissing and holding her, and in the next he
was blinking up at a black span of space dotted with fuzzy but colorful lights.
What?
“Get
out of the ring, Ethan,” someone said.
Ethan
blinked, unable to even register what that meant. A groan drew his eyes to his left
where he found Danielle unconscious next to him. Worried, he rose up onto his
elbow and bent over her. With arms and legs sticking out at strange angles it
appeared as though she’d collapsed. Ethan wondered why he hadn’t caught her
before he realized he’d passed out too.
Only
then did he grasp the alarming fact that instead of being outside of the fairy
ring as they had been while they’d danced, they were now inside it, exactly where they’d been told repeatedly to never go.
He curled his hand around Danielle’s hip and shook her gently but urgently.
“Danielle, wake up.”
She
groaned again and rocked her head back and forth before mumbling something he
couldn’t understand.
When
he tried to get to his feet so he could carry her to safety, the world went black
again.
And, I just heard a song that really brings this scene
to life for me. Enjoy, Close to You by Black Lab:
Release update!!!!
In Sophia's Cookbook for Mortals, she gives you many fairy-influenced recipes. Hopefully they won't make you loopy if you make the recipes at home. The cookbook will be released very soon! I'm not finished, but here is a preview of what the cover will sort of look like. And scroll down a couple of posts to get one of Sophia's recipes for free. Until next time!
Sophia’s Cookbook for Mortals is nearing completion!! If you haven't read Fateful yet, you'll need to to understand who Sophia is. She's a vampire who loves to cook for mortals, and she's very mess about it. She wears pearls and a frilly white apron while cooking, but that pretty apron is completely slimed.
Before this book comes out, however, I wanted to ask: Are there any recipes you really want to see from The Fateful Trilogy included? I think I've covered all of the important ones, as well as many you may not have thought of. I just wanted to double check with you, my wonderful readers...
Enjoy this sample recipe from the book:
Tender Cream Scones
You’ll need:
2 cups all-purpose flour
3 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons honey
Heavy whipping cream to moisten and bind
Directions:
Mix dry ingredients with a fork, and set
aside. Blend honey into 1/2 cup of the cream until it dissolves. Add cream and
honey mixture to the dry ingredients, mixing with a fork or metal spoon. Slowly
pour in more cream to the dry crumbs until you have a nice dough consistency. It
should be on the sticky side, but it will also be slightly stiff. Just make
certain it is not dry or so wet it’s gooey. You should be able to touch it with
lightly floured fingers without it sticking to your hand. Scrape edges of the bowl
to incorporate all of the flour, but also be careful not to over mix. Dump
dough out onto a parchment-lined cookie sheet or a baking stone. With lightly
floured fingers, press dough out into a circle that is about an inch to an inch
and a half thick. Dip a pizza cutter into flour and cut the dough into wedges,
very much like slicing a pizza. To aid in browning the top, brush with heavy
whipping cream. Bake in 450 degree oven until fluffy and lightly golden brown.
If you’re not sure if they’re done, carefully lift the corner of one scone to
make certain they’re not doughy inside. Baking time is about 8-12 minutes.
These are best fresh out of the oven. Serve with clotted cream or Devonshire
cream and lemon curd, or butter and your favorite fruit preserves. (There is a
recipe for homemade lemon curd at the end of this chapter.)
Note: These aren’t a very sweet scone,
but the flavor balances well with sweet preserves on top. If you prefer a
sweeter scone, then simply add more honey. You could add half and half for a
lower in fat version. However, the secret to the nice flavor and the tender
texture of these scones is the heavy cream. Add dried fruit to the dry
ingredients, such as dried cranberries, currants, apricots, or blueberries for
variety.
