“Tasting Along the Wine Road” cookbooks and events began with one paperback cookbook and has grown to at least 15 (much larger) cookbooks to celebrate wineries, recipes pairing food and wine, and lodgings of the Russian River Wine Road in Northwest Sonoma County, California. The events in this area to feature wine and food has grown each year along with a new cookbook to enjoy. The cookbooks are beautiful with recipes that are easy to follow yet make you feel like a chef is right there helping you feel like a superstar in your kitchen. I am working on finding every volume, as the ones I did have were destroyed in a flood. My daughter Kristina has some of the cookbooks and I borrowed Volume 11 to make some delectable scones from “The Radford House B & B Inn” in Healdsburg.
These Orange Scones with Toasted Almonds can be made free-form, or it’s the perfect amount for a scone pan if you have one.
The scones are a delicious way to wake up along with a cup of tea.
Volume 11 has so many recipes to try. Lemon-Ricotta Pancakes; White Chocolate Pecan Scones; Meyer Lemon Coffee Cake; and Smoked Salmon Paninis with Gruyère Cheese and a Chili-Lime Cream Dipping Sauce, are some ideas for brunch. For an appetizer there are about 25 recipes and what wine to pair, such as Wild Mushroom Tartlets; Shaved Greek Lamb with Garlicky White Bean Hummus; Braised Short Ribs Arepas; or Slider Burgers with Merlot-Caramelized Onions and Blue Cheese. A salad that I am making this week is going to be the Couscous and Feta Salad with Olives, that has so many ingredients I love such as cucumbers, peppers, kalamata olives, and cherry tomatoes. I can already taste it. And oh, the entrées – too many to name and all incredible, but I’ll name a few- Duck and Andouille Sausage Jambalaya; Skirt Steak Tacos with Cabernet Smoked Chile Sauce; Coq Au Vin alla Italiana with Creamy Polenta; Red Bean Cassoulet with Crispy Duck, Ham Hock, and Andouille Sausage; and Wine Country Paella. Finally for dessert- Pecan Whiskey Cake; or Late Harvest Zinfandel Dark Chocolates with Fleur de Sel. Hungry yet?
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- ⅓ cup granulated white sugar
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- ⅛ teaspoon salt
- ½ cup cold unsalted butter, cut into ½-inch cubes
- 2 eggs
- ¼ cup orange juice
- 1 teaspoon grated orange zest
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ¼ cup plus 1 Tablespoon toasted sliced almonds
- Glaze: 1 egg white mixed with ½ teaspoon water
- Heat oven to 350 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper, or lightly grease a cast iron scone pan made for 8 scones. Set aside.
- In a large bowl or food processor combine the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt. Add the cubed cold butter pieces and blend into dry ingredients, using a pastry blender with a bowl, or food processor, to form coarse crumbs.
- In a small bowl stir together the 2 eggs, orange juice, orange zest, and vanilla. Add this mixture to the dry ingredients and blend. Fold in the ¼ cup toasted almond slices.
- With floured hands, form the dough into a ball and place on a lightly floured surface. Roll dough into an 8-inch diameter circle and cut into 8 pie-shaped wedges. If using parchment-lined baking sheet, place wedges on paper. If using a scone pan, carefully lift up cut scones and place in scone pan. Brush tops with the glaze and sprinkle with remaining Tablespoon toasted almonds.
- Bake for 15 minutes or until golden and cooked through. Serve scones warm with butter, clotted cream, or jam. Makes 8 scones.
Sounds like a delightfully delicious way to start the morning or enjoy a little afternoon tea party! And I am going to order a a cast iron scone pan because they come out so perfect!! Thanks! Kim
Kim, you will love the Nordic Ware scone pan. The scones turn out perfect!