The Breakfast Book

Blueberry Blueberry Orange Scones

I've kept it no secret on these pages that I love breakfast, so it will be no surprise that my favorite cookbook of all time is Marion Cunningham's The Breakfast Book. When I was younger and poorer, I checked out The Breakfast Book from the local library as many times as was allowable before being required to place it back in circulation. Reluctantly I'd leave it until the next weekly trip to the library, hoping all week long that no one else had borrowed it so I could begin "owning" the book over again.

Last year I found my very own signed first edition copy of The Breakfast Book in a used book shop on Clement Street in San Francisco. It is one of my treasures.

I love The Breakfast Book for several reasons:

• This is where I learned to shirr eggs. There is nothing as comforting as a shirred egg in the morning. As a matter of fact, there's nothing that was ever done with the simple egg that is not in this book. At least I'm pretty sure.
• Marion Cunningham, the modern Fanny Farmer, advocates having cookies, pies and cake for breakfast. There's a whole chapter on the subject in this book.
• Charming "antique" quotes are sprinkled throughout the volume, such as, "The breakfast table is not a bulletin board for the curing of horrible dreams and depressing symptoms, but a place where a bright keynote for the day is struck." Prof. B. G. Jeffries, M.D., Family Receipts: The Household Guide or Domestic Encyclopedia (1902)

The recipe for these Blueberry Blueberry (for the dried and fresh berries in them) Orange Scones has me with its tender crumb, beautiful lavender glaze and subtle orange undertones. These scones would be so pretty served at a bridal or baby shower, and are a lovely weekend-at-home treat too. While not in The Breakfast Book, this recipe certainly has been informed by my years of baking from the book. In actuality, the recipe is a made-up concoction pulled from bits of various recipes over the years. I think Marion Cunningham would approve.

Blueberry Blueberry Orange Scones

This recipe makes 8 small scones, an appropriate amount for My Baby and me to consume over a couple of mornings. If you'd prefer 16 small or 8 large scones, simply double the ingredients, except for the leavening, the measurements for which I've included in the recipe.

1 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup whole wheat flour
3 tablespoons sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder (2 1/2 teaspoons for larger batch)
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
zest of 1/2 large orange
6 tablespoons cold butter, cut into 1/2" cubes
1/3 cup frozen blueberries

1/4 cup dried blueberries
2/3 cup cold buttermilk, plus 2 Tablespoons additional for brushing tops

Glaze
8 blueberries, thawed and smashed, big pieces of skin and pulp removed with fingers

Juice and zest of 1/2 orange
2 Tablespoons butter, melted
2 cups powdered sugar

Preheat over to 400 degrees. Mix first seven ingredients (flours through orange zest) together in mixing bowl. Add butter, rubbing with fingertips while tossing in the flour until mixture resembles coarse meal, trying for nothing larger than pea-sized butter bits. Toss in frozen and dried blueberries. Gradually add buttermilk, stirring until moist clumps form. On a well-floured surface, turn dough out and knead briefly to bind. Gently pat dough into a 1" thick square. Cut square into four quarters. Cut each of the four squares on the diagonal, creating 8 triangular wedges. Place wedges on parchment lined baking sheet and brush tops with additional buttermilk. Space them about 2" apart, as they do expand. Bake until golden brown, about 25 minutes. Let cool ten minutes.

While scones are cooling, whisk smashed blueberry juice, melted butter, powdered sugar and orange juice until smooth, adding additional orange juice drop by drop until glaze is thin enough to brush over scone tops, but substantial enough to make a thick glaze on the warm scones. Serve warm or room temperature.