Cranberry Scones

Cranberry scones.

 Just in time for the holidays! A bright, cheery cranberry is exactly what you need in your life. Full of antioxidants and nutrition and wrapped in a yummy, biscuit-y dough.

Ingredients:

2 cups all purpose flour, extra for work surface
5 tbsp sugar, extra for topping
1 tbsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
6 tbsp cold butter, unsalted, cut into small pieces
2/3 c half & half, plus a little extra for brushing tops
1/2 c halved cranberries

Preheat oven to 425

Whisk together flour, sugar, baking powder and salt. Cut in butter until mixture is crumbly. (I never reach this state, it's always flour-y when I give up and add the liquid!) Add half & half and stir until moistened. Fold in cranberries. (A hint about the cranberries- they have wee, tiny seeds that get everywhere. You can rattle the cranberries around in a sieve to get rid of the seeds or don't worry about them at all!)

Lightly flour your work surface and plop the dough ball in the middle. Knead gently about 10 times. Pat into a 1" thick round. Place on a cookie sheet and cut almost through into 8 wedges. Brush tops with half & half and sprinkle remaining sugar on top. You can also sprinkle cinnamon sugar.

Bake for 12-15 minutes. Tops should be golden brown. Cut through to separate. Serves 8.

These come out with the consistency of a shortcake biscuit rather than the density of what we know as a scone.

Great afternoon snack with tea or hot cocoa. Easy to pack breakfast for the train. (Which I'm thinking about a lot because I hear the whistle during the day!)

White Cedar Inn Bed and Breakfast 178 Main St Freeport, Maine 04032

Tidebrook Trail

Red trail: Harraseeket River

Decided to try one more time to figure out where Tidebrook Trail (part of the Freeport Conservation Trail System) starts. We drove down Bartol Island Rd and measured .25 on the odometer and found the cedar trees and parked the car. I have come down here several times, assumed the 'parking' area was a turn around as the road beyond the cedar trees is a private driveway and thrown my hands up and gone home. There are NO indicators to let you know 'You Are Here'. Once you get out of the car, you are on your own, especially if you come here in the summer when the trees are all filled in.

So, feel free to use this handy pictorial guide to find your way.

Park car at the cedar trees. Space for about 4 cars.

After you park the car you have 2 options: walk about 75 yards down the private drive (see why it is hard to find!) and the red trail along the Harraseeket starts on the left. This trail winds along the river (go at low tide) and thru the fields along the river. The photo at the very top was taken at low tide. (If someone can tell me what that tower is I would be grateful. I know Tom Ring told me years ago when we went out to Eagle Island, but I've forgotten!)

Or, head across the road toward the big white house. (Hidden behind more cedars.) Walk along the orchard, down the driveway toward the small kiosk where you can sign in. Continue on toward the yellow, green and blue arrows that mark the other trails. Please respect the owner's personal yard space and stick to the trails! The orchard is gorgeous in the spring, filled with daffodils. (Yes, I drove down here in the spring, too.)

Start of yellow, blue and green trails.

We did not walk the yellow trail. Once you see the hills on the blue trail you'll understand why we only walked 3 of the trails! If you're training for x-c running, the blue trail is for you. If you're one donut away from a heart attack this is not the place for you!

Blue trail: You really are thankful for these handrails, believe me!

Green trail: Someone with a sense of humor was here before us.

Enter here for the yellow, blue and green trails.

Now I know you're saying to yourself, 'She couldn't find this when it is clearly marked?' Well, you're right. I never saw that (tiny) sign until I turned around to take the photo after we had hiked the green and blue trails and we were headed to the car! So, now you know- #38 Tidebrook is where you want to walk in.

Walk down this road a little way for the red trail. The trail is mowed and there are red arrows to follow.

It was a bit brisk the day we went. OK, it was frigid! But, there's no such thing as bad weather, just improper clothing. Any day you can haul yourself out of bed is a good day to get out of the house and go for a walk.

White Cedar Inn Bed and Breakfast 178 Main Street Freeport, Maine 04032