Everything about Scones totally explained
The
scone is a
British snack of
Scottish origin. A small
quickbread made of
wheat,
barley or
oatmeal, usually with
baking powder as a
leavening agent. British scones are often lightly sweetened, but may also be savoury. In the U.S., scones are drier, larger and typically sweet.
The pronunciation across the
United Kingdom is varied. Some sections of the population (nearly two thirds of the British population and 99% of the Scottish population, according to one academic study) pronounce it as /skɒn/ (to rhyme with con and John, the
U English Pronunciation), and the rest pronounce it /skəʊn/ (to rhyme with cone and Joan, the
Non-U English pronunciation). According to the
Oxford English Dictionary, the word scone derives perhaps from the
Middle Dutch schoonbrood (fine white bread), from
schoon (pure, clean) and
brood (bread). The word is attested in the
Scots language long before it was in more general use in the
English language.
Description
British scones closely resemble a North American
biscuit (many recipes are actually identical) — itself not to be confused with the English biscuit, which equates to the American
cookie. In the United States, there's a growing tendency to refer to sweet variations as "scones" (perhaps under influence from
espresso bars, where they're popular fare), while those eaten as part of
savoury meals are known as "biscuits". American "scones" are often baked to a dry and somewhat crumbly texture, and are typically large and rectangular; more like a cross between a cookie and a muffin than a biscuit. In Canada, both tend to be called "biscuits" or "tea biscuits".
Varieties
British scones frequently include
raisins,
currants,
cheese or
dates. In the United States, scones sold by coffee shops often include fillings such as
cranberries,
blueberries,
nuts, or even
chocolate chips. More original fillings include
smarties. A more recent version of scones is 'lemonade scones,' which is made with lemonade and cream instead of butter and milk. However, most fillings tend to be spices, including
cinnamon and
poppyseed. In both Britain and the U.S., mass-produced scones tend to be doughier than home-made scones.
In
Scotland and
Ulster, savoury varieties of scone include
soda scones, also known as soda
farls, and
potato scones, normally known as tattie scones, which resemble small, thin savoury
pancakes made with potato flour and resemble the Jewish
latke. Potato scones are most commonly served fried in a
full Scottish breakfast or an
Ulster fry.
Scones around the world
The scone is a basic component of the
cream tea or
Devonshire tea.
The
griddle scone is a variety of scone which is fried rather than baked. In some countries one may also encounter
savoury varieties of scone which may contain or be topped with combinations of
cheese,
onion,
bacon etc.
In the
Scots language, a
griddle is referred to as a "
girdle". Therefore "
griddle scones" are known as "girdle scones". This usage is also common in
New Zealand where scones, of all varieties, form an important part of the traditional
cuisine.
Scones are popular in
Ireland as well as England and Scotland, and were chosen as the
Republic of Ireland representative for
Café Europe during the
Austrian Presidency of the
European Union in 2006 (the United Kingdom chose
shortbread).
Other common terms include dropped scone, or drop scone, after the method of dropping the batter onto the griddle or frying pan to cook it.
In some US states in the Mountain West region, especially
Utah and
Idaho, a "scone" commonly refers to a
deep fried flattened bread which serves as the basis for "Navajo" tacos and is commonly consumed by itself with honey butter. It is similar to
frybread or
sopaipilla.
Scones are quite popular in Argentina (brought by Irish and English immigrants and from Welsh immigrants in Patagonia ). They are usually accompanied by tea, coffee or
mate.
In Australia, popular varieties include the
vegemite scone.
Other usage
In
Scottish language the verb
scon means to crush flat or beat with the open hand on a flat surface, and "scon-cap" or "scone-cap" refers to a man's broad flat cap or "bunnet".
Further Information
Get more info on 'Scones'.
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