Note: The illustration is for round scones.
Steve's are triangular.

*Ted's Note: Steve B sent us this recipe. My mother used to make scones at the drop of a hat, as long as our wood-burning kitchen stove was going. She would make them for breakfast, for morning tea, for lunch, for afternoon tea, for dessert with evening meal, or as a late night supper (snack). We never got tired of hot scones with butter and all the variations. I mention some of these below. Ihave also included her variations into Steve's recipe, marked with an asterisk (*)

Ingredients:
(Makes 8 large triangular scones or 12 smaller round ones.)

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/3 cup sugar (*for savory scones, omit the sugar and add a little extra salt)
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 8 tablespoons unsalted butter, frozen
• 1/2 cup raisins or dried currants (optional)
• 1/2 cup sour cream
• 1 large egg

1. Adjust oven rack to lower-middle position and preheat oven to 400 degrees.
2. In a medium bowl, mix flour, 1/3 cup sugar (if for sweet scones), baking powder, baking soda, salt.
3. Grate butter into flour mixture on the large holes of a box grater; use your fingers to work in butter (mixture should resemble coarse meal).
4. Stir in raisins (*or other options - see below)
5. In a small bowl, whisk sour cream and egg until smooth.
6. Using a fork, stir sour cream mixture into flour mixture until large dough clumps form. Use your hands to press the dough against the bowl into a ball. (The dough will be sticky in places, and there may not seem to be enough liquid at first, but as you press, the dough will come together.)
7. Place on a lightly floured surface and pat into 7- to 8-inch circle about 3/4 inch thick. Optionally, if sweet scones, sprinkle with remaining 1 tsp of sugar.
8. Using a sharp knife cut the circle into 8 triangles.
   OR:
9. *Using a round cookie cutter or a small water tumbler, cut the circle into about ten rounds. Compress the scraps and cut into an extra two or three rounds.
10. Place on a cookie sheet (preferably lined with parchment paper), about 1 inch apart.
11. Bake until golden, about 15 to 17 minutes.

*Ted's Note: As savory variations, instead of raisins, add 3/4 cup cooked mashed pumpkin or squash for pumkin scones, or 3/4 cup grated cheddar cheese for cheese scones. Serve plain or sweet scones with jam and whipped cream, and savory scones with just butter or with cheese.

Contributed by Steve B. (daytimer1947)