White Chocolate Cherry Scones

Virtually everyone I know either didn't care in the slightest about today's royal wedding, or lost interest due to the onslaught of inanity leading up to it. I, however, immersed myself in the IQ-lowering amusement all week!

I was raised on these events, since my mother is Canadian, starting with Princess Anne's first wedding in 1973 and following along to Charles and Diana, Andrew and Sarah/Fergie, Edward and Sophie, then Charles and Camilla.

I've been thrilled about William and Catherine since I first heard the announcement, and am the only person I know -- in the real world, at least -- foolish and devoted enough to be planning to watch the show live (Jeremy plans to watch a re-run with me later), albeit in my jammies rather than in a froofy hat and white gloves.

Since my invitation got lost in the mail -- and I had a brand new perfect dress to wear, too! -- I had to put on my own celebratory meal instead of partaking in the wedding fruitcake, the chocolate biscuit groom's cake, or any of the hors d'oeuvres. So I debated whether to do something original, or whether to go with the old tea time favorites ... and I decided upon tradition with a twist.

Instead of cucumber sandwiches, I chose egg salad. I selected some fruit -- pineapple and strawberries. I found a gorgeous English Double Gloucester cheese that had been layered with a beautiful Stilton ... sigh. And, of course, the requisite tea!

But the cornerstone of my treats had to be the essential scone. I could have made some plain ones, and served them with lemon curd or clotted cream ... or both. But I had some leftover white chocolate-covered dried cherries (a most appreciated gift when an observant friend had to clean out forbidden foods for Passover), and put them to good use in my baking.

The cherries added the perfect amount of sweetness and texture to these lovely scones, which are more cake-like rather than biscuit-y. Chocolate-covered cherries would also make an exceptional addition.

Mazal Tov to the happy couple!!! May they live happily ever after ... :)

White Chocolate Cherry Scones

1 cup white whole wheat flour
1 cup unbleached flour
1/3 cup sugar
pinch of salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon aluminum-free baking powder
3/4 cup quick-cook oats
1/2 cup butter, in small pieces
3/4 cup chopped white chocolate-covered dried cherries
2/3 cup buttermilk
1/2 cup confectioners' sugar
3 teaspoons milk

Preheat oven to 350F. Grease a baking sheet.

In a large bowl, combine the flours, sugar, salt, baking soda, baking powder and oats. Using your fingers or a pastry cutter, mix in the butter until the mixture is crumbly. Stir in the chopped cherries, then stir in the buttermilk. Knead the dough just until it holds together, then press it into an 8" circle on the prepared baking sheet. Score the dough into 8 portions, then bake for 25 minutes until the scones are golden and the center is set. Let cool completely.

Cut the scones into individual portions. Stir together the confectioners' sugar and milk to make a glaze, then drizzle it over each scone. Let the glaze set, then serve.

Makes 8 scones.

No Cake at a Wedding??? Say It Ain't So!!!

A good friend of mine, Cindy, attended a wedding over the weekend. She shocked me with some astounding news, so it's a good thing I was already seated or I might have keeled over and knocked a tooth out when I collapsed onto my desk: there was no wedding cake.

C'mon, join me - clutch at your chest as your eyes bug out, gasping for breath as though all the air has been punched out of your lungs.

No ... cake??? No cake?!? It's a sacrilege! There has to be cake at a wedding! Guests ooh and ahh over it, vie for the best pieces, hope to get some of the edible decorations. Brides and grooms indelicately shove some into each other's mouths. Cake at a wedding is a tradition!

But perhaps not so anymore ...? Cindy said that people she spoke with that evening told her that there hadn't been cakes at other weddings they'd attended recently, either.

I'm sufficiently ancient and decrepit that my friends and relatives have either been married for 30 years or they're divorced; and our children aren't yet old enough -- please, God, make sure they're aware of that! -- to get married. So I admit that I'm not an authority on this subject. I hadn't been to a wedding in years until attending one in July; and thankfully -- whew! -- there was a cake. (Who knew it was now possibly considered "optional"???) It was really good, too, with luscious creamy white frosting .... But I digress.

I've known of people who offered tiers of cupcakes that were arranged to resemble a cake. I've known people who offered an array of treats and sweets in addition to the cake, but the cake was still a major attraction. Cindy said that other desserts were available at the wedding; there just wasn't a cake, and from what she could gather it's becoming a trend. So, in horror, I started to do some remedial and less-than-scientific research.

Here is an assortment of quotes and responses gathered when I tossed this life-altering notion out into cyberspace and sought comments via Facebook and Twitter (so excuse grammatical/spelling quirks inherent in trying to type on a phone or cram a message into 140 tidbits!):

what else would the bride shove up the grooms nose? ;-) Seriously, yes...cake, of some sort, is a MUST!

What are people going to do, cut into a cupcake or a cookie? Sheesh!That is ridiculous! If anything I have heard people turning to options but not getting rid of cake entirely! thumbs down!

Haven't heard this in the UK, though some friends had tiers of cheese instead.

I don't know if I want to go to a wedding that doesn't have cake. It's a travesty!

We had cupcakes as our cake and then an ice cream sundae bar with cookies and brownies and no one ate the cake! We had like 100 cupcakes left over. Maybe it's true :-(

Shut up!some things are just wrong, this is one! weddings=cake

not any weddings I've been to.. no.. wait.. there wasn't a wedding cake at the most recent one. Probably because the bride and groom didn't want to spend $1000 on a cake.

Plus, you have to save the top of the cake for your first anniversary! I have such fond memories of our wedding cake -- made at a Swedish bakery in Minnesota with lemon filling... and it's been almost 36 years!

So, there you have it -- I'm apparently not alone in feeling weak and dizzy at the notion of not getting my cake fix at the end of the festivities. Deep sigh of relief ....

I also did a search and found a website called Exquisite Events Seattle which addresses the cake-less issue: 

"Cake has dominated the wedding industry for years. However, right now there is a growing trend to skip the cake all together. Maybe cake is not your thing. For many people cake is okay, but they have a dessert that they simply swoon over. So, why not have that dessert at your wedding?"

Why not??? 'Cause people expect a cake and want a cake! And they won't leave your ceremony talking about how beautiful the bride was, but instead will leave talking about how deprived they felt at being denied CAKE!!!

I am fully aware that there are more earth-shattering and life-altering situations taking place in the world than not serving cake at a wedding, just in case anyone was wondering! However, in my obsessive compulsion to learn more about this issue I've discussed it with many people who are in their 20s/30s -- those on "the wedding circuit." Almost universally, there has been cake at the receptions they've attended; one of my co-workers told me that she's never been to a wedding that didn't serve cake.

Cindy (who may regret, at this point, ever having mentioned this to me) brought up the issue of the Jewish dietary laws, and having to serve a non-dairy cake - which is very often inferior - with a meat meal to avoid combining meat and dairy products. In that instance, settling either for the lesser cake or for a vegetarian meal wouldn't make for an optimal situation; the better dinner served without a cake might easily take precedence over the butter-less dessert.

So finally, as my brain was starting to hurt from all of this contemplation, I consulted a true expert: my favorite baker, Bryant Stuckey of Decadent Delight here in Ann Arbor. Here's his professional opinion: 

"I don't know if I would say it's a trend, but I have had many instances in the last couple years where couples have forgone the wedding cake .... I think this is to stay within their budget. It seems a shame to me .... I just can't see a wedding without a wedding cake. The wedding cake is another character in the wedding. It's symbolic to an idea of a 'sweet life' together."

I think the notion of cake playing a role and symbolizing a sweet life together is absolutely perfect ... :) And I think that symbol should be enjoyed with all the loved ones who've joined the happy couple on their special day, literally and figuratively sharing that sweet life with all of those who have been - and will continue to be - integral to it.

So skimp on the rose petals that flower girls toss along the aisle; they're just going to get ground into the rug or the runner anyway. Do away with having 14 bridesmaids and save money by not ordering so many bouquets. Don't bother with an ice sculpture that will just melt. There are so many non-essentials at weddings.

But cake ... cake is an absolute! It's a classic that never goes out of style. Change the shape, the colors, the flavors, and even the doohickeys that go on top.

But never, ever shun the cake! And if you do, please know that I will not be offended if you leave me off the invitation list ....

"This Is Always"

It's the second week of Music Monday being hosted by Kuppy Kakes by Kristin, and her theme today is "Romantically Nostalgic." How perfect, considering that I was proud to be the date of the extraordinarily handsome man pictured to the left, Tom, at his niece's wedding on Saturday ... :)

The ceremony was just lovely! The bride was gorgeous in the most beautiful vintage-style ivory lace dress with cap sleeves ... the groom was clearly genuinely in love with his new wife ... the bridesmaids were so pretty in navy dresses which were each very slightly different from each other, and they carried white roses that were perfect in their simplicity ... the groomsmen looked so sharp in their tuxes ... and the bride's mother, Tom's sister Sandy, was radiant in a mauve gown ... sigh.

Of course, this being a blog about edibles, I must tell you that the food -- provided by local institution Angel Food Catering of Ypsilanti -- was sophisticated and wonderful. We were welcomed to the reception with hors d'oeuvres: a cheese-topped Spinach-Artichoke Dip served with pita triangles, a variety of fruits, and a vegetable assortment served with onion dip. The dinner featured a beautiful salad with almonds and dried cranberries, served with either Ranch dressing or a raspberry vinaigrette; Chicken Cordon Bleu with a rich wine sauce; fork-tender Sliced Beef Tenderloin; roasted potatoes; mixed vegetables; and flaky dinner rolls served with either a luscious Spiced Honey Butter or a Garlic-Dill Butter.

Now, I'm sure everyone is wondering why I'm not offering pictures of the food for drooling purposes. Well, I didn't take any pictures for two reasons: 1) it really wouldn't have been appropriate at a formal gathering, and 2) I was meeting Tom's sister Anne and brother Jim for the first time, so I hardly wanted to embarrass myself (or Tom!) as the flaky chick who takes pictures of her food. That is, in fact, who I am -- there's no denying it! But they don't need to know that just yet ....

There was also the mandatory wedding cake (CAKE!!!), which I did take a picture of; it was on display, so my camera and I weren't too disruptive ... and c'mon -- it's just adorable, demonstrating the bride's and groom's mutual sense of humor and whimsy! (All the guests got to take home rubber duckies, too, which had been floating in glass bowls as table centerpieces. Mine are proudly joining the other two I already had, such that I may need to repaint and redecorate my bathroom to properly showcase them now that I'm apparently becoming a collector.)

Anyway, the cake -- baked by The Milan Bakery -- was a perfectly tender white cake with raspberry filling (one of my personal favorites) and a rich frosting ... sigh. (FYI, for non-Michiganders: the little town outside of Ann Arbor is pronounced MY-len, not mill-AHN like the city in Italy.) And although I did wonder aloud if there were seconds, I didn't go greedily in search of more. I was good ... :)

After indulging in the cake, it was time for the happy couple's first dance, then the introduction of the bridal party, the bride dancing with her proud father and the groom dancing with his charming mother. Then all the cute young women in their 20s took over the floor as a hip-hop song I didn't recognize (there's a shock!) played LOUDLY, and they did some sort of line dance that they all knew the steps to ... they had a ball, while I simply felt old. It was time to leave while my ego was still intact.

So Tom and I went home and danced to a song of our own choosing, since we didn't hear any slow ones at the reception. It's not our song, but it's now on the list of our songs -- there is one particularly special one, and then there are several secondary choices. It's the perfect selection for Kristin's Music Monday, as it is romantic and nostalgic and simply beautiful ... and wedding vows should, of course, be for always ....

A quick note: My son, Jeremy, has started a blog of his own! Much as this former non-smokers' rights worker is loathe to promote anything tobacco-related, she is very proud of her son's initiative and of his passion to educate himself and to become a connoisseur-in-training. So it would be much appreciated if you could go to his site and become a follower, and show him a little bit of love ... :) Johnny's Cigar Escapades