Good Show and Continued Good Luck

A modern bride for a new generation

Okay....I'll admit it.  I'm one of those Americans who finds the British Royal Family fascinating.  There's the pomp, circumstance, hats, horses, corgis, and dysfuntion.  You have to love the fact they seem to have just as much nuttiness in their family as most regular people.  They just have castles, carriages, and A LOT more money.

The happy couple

In 1981, when Diana and Charles took their ill-fated walk down the aisle with Camilla in attendance.... there's some of that royal dysfunction I mentioned earlier.....my Mom and I woke up at the crack of dawn, donned hats and gloves and sat for hours, mesmerized while occasionally practicing the "royal wave" (above the shoulder, below the crown).  So it was pretty much a given I would be doing the same thing when William and Kate wowed the world April 29, 2011.  The difference?  As I was on the West Coast, we would have to wake up at 1:00 a.m. and, instead of my Mom, I would be watching with my husband.  These are the moments Dan gets HUGE points for tolerating some of my goofiness.

The royal "bend and reach"

Over strawberry scones and English Breakfast tea, we watched every minute of the coverage.  Though decades had passed since that last royal wedding, I was once again the giddy eighteen year old when Kate first came into view in Sarah Burton's stunning dress.  Kate had it all over Diana in the dress....and groom.... department if you ask me.  Dan was a trooper and greatly appreciated Pippa with her exemplary "bend and reach" duties.  In the days after the wedding, he somehow ended up a member of the Pippa Middleton Ass Appreciaton Society on Facebook.  I think he's secretly hoping Pippa and Harry will get together.  If they do, you can be sure we'll be watching and cheering them on as well.  But for now, a simple "Good Show and Continued Good Luck" goes out to William and Kate!

Another royal wedding in the making?

To celebrate their first anniversary, I made the strawberry scones again.  The recipe is a modified version of Erin McKenna's Raspberry Scones from the fabulous BabyCakes cookbook.  If you're not familiar with BabyCakes, the gluten-free bakery (based in New York and L.A.) or the cookbooks, I highly recommend you check them out.  I thought baked goods were a thing of the past when I gave up white flour.  Have no fear..... BabyCakes is here!  

Gluten-Free Strawberry Scones

2 cups whole spelt flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup coconut oil, plus more for brushing
1/3 cup agave nectar, plus more for brushing
1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
1/4 cup hot water
1 cup fresh strawberries, cleaned and cut into pieces

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt.  Add the oil, agave nectar, and vanilla and stir together until a thick, slightly dry batter is formed.  Pour the hot water into the batter and mix.  Using a rubber spatula, gently fold in the strawberries just until they are marbled throughout the batter.

For each scone, scoop 1/3 cup batter onto the prepared baking sheet.  Space the scoops 1 inch apart to allow them to spread.  Lightly brush the tops with the oil.  Bake the scones on the center rack for 14 minutes, rotating the sheet 180 degrees after 7 minutes.  The finished scones will be golden and slightly firm.  Remove from the oven and brush with agave nectar.

Let the scones stand on the sheet for 15 minutes, then carefully slide a spatula under each and transfer to a wire rack and cool completely.  Store the scones in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days.  Makes 8 scones.