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34 Acton/Georgetown, Friday, May 11, 2007 A tea lover's guide to brewing the perfect tea Happy Mother's Day! What better for Mother's Day than a recipe for delicious homemade scones and a story about tea? In case some of you are not getting the hint: get up early, let your mother/wife/friend sleep in, bake up a fresh batch of scones and treat her to a perfectly brewed cup of tea and warm scones for breakfast (or lunch depending on what hour she arises at). The recipe we are showing today has orange zest and currants in it. However, if you wish to switch it up a bit-- try dried cranberries or cherries instead of the currants. Try lemon zest instead of orange zest.Or, if you want to be really wild, leave the sugar, orange zest and currants out of the recipe and replace them with grated Lori Gysel & Gerry Kentner cheddar cheese and fresh chopped chives for a simply fabulous savory biscuit. I am a tea-lover, tea-granny, whatever you want to call it. I don't like coffee-- never have. I love the aroma of a brewing pot of joe, I just don't like the taste. But I do love my tea. However, for those of you who may be coffee fans, you may not know some of the etiquette around brewing a proper cup of tea. First, a really good cup of tea gets made in a tea pot, not a cup. So, find a tea pot. When you look inside the tea pot, if it appears kind of brown and stained-- DO NOT SCRUB IT WITH SOS PADS! Tea pots are meant to be rinsed only-- no soap and no scrubbing. They do get stained over the years, but that is a good thing. If you don't believe me, ask Queen Elizabeth-- she'll back me up on this one. Next, find some tea. There are millions of kinds. Personally, I like my decaf orange pekoe. But everyone has a favourite. Loose leaf tea is more flavourful, but for ease, I prefer the tea bag version. Buttermilk Scones Ingredients · 3 cups all-purpose flour · 1/3 cup granulated sugar · 2 1/2 tsp baking powder · 1/2 tsp baking soda · 1/2 tsp salt · 6 oz unsalted butter, chilled · 1 cup buttermilk · 3/4 cup currants · 2 tsp orange zest, finely grated · 2 tbs whipping cream (cream is okay) Method 1. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Lightly butter a baking sheet. Sift the flour, sugar, baking powder, soda and salt into a large mixing bowl (or combine them in the work bowl of your food processor and pulse once or twice to aerate). 2. Roll the cold butter in flour to make it easier to handle, and then cut into slices. Roll in flour again, and then cut into sticks, and the sticks into cubes. If making by hand, use a pastry cutter to cut the butter into the flour until mixture has a breadcrumb texture. (Or distribute the butter over the flour in the food processor and process briefly to the breadcrumb texture; then turn into a bowl) 3. Add the buttermilk, currants, and orange zest. Mix lightly with a fork-- just enough that the mixture is moistened and forms a soft dough. 4. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Knead very gently for 8 to 10 turns, and then pat the dough out into a large circle1/2 inch thick. Using a cookie cutter (or an upside-down glass), cut out round circles of dough, or cut them into pie-shaped wedges. Place them 1" apart on the prepared cookie sheet. Brush the tops lightly with the cream. 5. Bake in the preheated oven for 12 to 15 minutes, until golden brown. Serve them warm, with fresh butter and home made jam. Did you know that tea bags were invented by accident? In 1904 a tea merchant was anxious to acquire new customers so he sent out samples of his teas wrapped in small silk bags. Not knowing how else to handle them-- and assuming they were doing the correct thing-- a few customers put the bags in the teapots and poured on the boiling water. Presto, a new marketing idea was born. Soon the silk bags evolved into gauze and then evolved again into treated filter paper. Back to the mission at hand. Now you've got pot and tea at hand. Boil the kettle. Use fresh COLD water in the kettle. Bring the water to a real rolling boil before using it. While you are waiting for the water to boil, warm the tea pot with hot water from the tap. Then dump the warming water, put in your tea and pour the boiling water on top. Allow the tea to brew for about five minutes depending on how strong you like it. Then remove the tea bags or the loose tea strainer so that the tea doesn't get any stronger. Cover the tea pot up with a tea cosy if you have one and serve on a lovely tray with a linen napkin and a flower. Oh and if the tea drinker likes milk in their tea, be sure to serve the milk on the side because it is a terrible faux pas to put the milk in the cup first, as you may not have put in the correct amount. The drinker should pour the tea into the cup and then add the appropriate amount of milk themselves. Have fun and keep cooking! Buffet dinner/dance to aid diabetes group A buffet dinner and dance will be held at the Georgetown Legion hall, 127 Mill St.,Georgetown, on Saturday, June 2, beginning at 5:30 p.m. All proceeds to The Canadian Diabetes Association. Buffet includes cold cuts: ham, selection of salamis, roast beef and turkey, cheese trays, vegetable and dip trays, green salad, pasta salad, potato salad, rolls and breads, cakes and squares, tea and coffee. Please purchase tickets before May 25: adults $15; children $7.50 includes the buffet and dance with D.J.,The One Man Band, plus door prizes, raffle, silent auction, 50/50 Draw and karaoke. Tickets call Gloria, 905-873-9102. Best Ribs In To w n with Majs Mouthwatering BBQ Sauce ANNIVERSARY SPECIAL P I C K - U P O N LY Full Slab of Ribs Reg. 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