The first roses of the spring 2020

We continued to have good weather for the spring of 2020 in Southern Kanto area. The usual guests at our slip of garden was our neighbour’s cat, trotting down as if on her usual expedition. Everything seemed so ordinary, except that we were trying to conceal ourselves from invisible virus.

One day during my usual walk, I came across a wall covered with white old roses. I hadn’t noticed this before. They were beautiful in their prime, against pale blue sky.

The roses must have been blooming in our neighbourhood by then, but somehow I didn’t notice another roses except this one.

Days went on and I needed some distraction. I sneaked into kitchen and baked a batch-full of scones. 

We enjoyed them for tea. We needed something for a change, to turn off television for a while and enjoy what were in front of us.

Recipe : Mary Berry's scones

Ingredients
450g/1lb self-raising flour
2 level tsp baking powder
50g/1¾oz caster sugar
100g/3½oz butter, softened, cut into pieces
2 free-range eggs
a little milk
handful sultanas (optional)
To serve
strawberry jam
clotted cream

Method
Preheat the oven to 220C/200C Fan/Gas 7. Lightly grease two baking trays.

Put the flour, baking powder and sugar in a large bowl. Add the butter and rub in with your fingertips until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs.

Crack the eggs into a measuring jug, then add enough milk to make the total liquid 300ml/10fl oz. Stir the egg and milk into the flour – you may not need it all – and mix to a soft, sticky dough.

Turn out onto a lightly floured work surface, knead lightly and work in the sultanas, if using. Roll out to a rectangle about 2cm/¾in thick.

Cut into as many rounds as possible with a fluted 5cm/2in cutter and place them on the prepared baking trays. Brush the tops of the scones with a little extra milk, or any egg and milk left in the jug.

Bake for 12–15 minutes, or until the scones are well risen and a pale, golden-brown colour. Lift onto a wire rack to cool. Eat as fresh as possible.

To serve, split the scones and serve with strawberry jam on the plain scones along with a good dollop of clotted cream.