Mrs. Larkin's

Holiday Eats

2011-12-09T21:41:00.013-05:00

Truly Scrumptious Scones

Made by hand in small batches using all-natural ingredients - unbleached King Arthur flour, pure butter, fresh cream, sugar and eggs.

Moist, buttery, delicious.

Flavors 

Wild Maine Blueberry 

Chocolate Chip

Cranberry-Orange

Pumpkin

CinnFul

Lemon-Poppy Seed

Currant-Orange

Lavender-Blueberry

Truly Scrumptious Cookies and more.

Home-made treats, using the finest all-natural ingredients.

Crispy Chocolate Chip Cookies 

Crunchy chocolaty-chip goodness…

these are highly addictive.  

 Chewy Molasses Crinkle Cookies

Sweet, spicy, chewy.

Chewy Sugar Cookies 

Vanilla-scented, rolled in turbinado sugar for crunch, and chewy throughout.

 Mint Chocolate Sugar Cookies 

Minty, chewy, chocolatey, a great holiday combination.

 Apple Torte 

Apple pie flavors, in cake form. Great with a scoop of ice cream or dollop of crème fraiche.

Lovely breakfast cake, too. Serves 8.

Cinnamon Crumb Coffee Cake

Moist and delicious. Vanilla-infused. Yum! Nut-free. Serves 6 or more.

 Chocolate Stout Cupcakes 

Chocolaty goodness, with mocha icing and a fresh coffee bean on top. VEGAN.  

Pumpkin Cupcakes

 Moist, delicious, and topped with cinnamon icing. VEGAN.

Mini Pumpkin Christmas Bread

Warm pumpkin pie spices enrobed in a moist and delicious treat. VEGAN. Nut-free.

12 ounces, serves 3 or more.

Almond Brittle 

Crunchalicious! Scented with fresh lemon and anise seeds. A perfect addition for the dessert buffet. Half-pound bag.

Happy Holidays!

Love,

Mrs. Larkin

A Celebration of Life and Love (A Pie for Mikey)

2011-08-13T11:27:00.017-04:00

I wish I had a navigation program for life. It’d be so easy…I’d click the little app button on my phone, and the computer lady’s voice would come on telling me don’t do that, do this…go here, follow this path…warning me when bad shit’s about to happen. But life is not easily steerable. And, sometimes, it’s hard to fucking move at all. Like in my first car back in the 80s, a beige Buick Skylark with bench seats, when it lost the power steering fluid. I needed the power of Zeus to turn the goddamn wheel. You get stuck sometimes. Most times, this thought keeps things in perspective and helps: things could be worse. But once in a while, that worse thing smacks you in the face and knocks you down with no warning whatsoever. And how do you get through? I don’t know. It hurts like nobody’s business and it seems like that pain will never go away.

But it does get ever-so-slightly less painful, in time. And then you begin to move again. And you get your steering fixed. And you hug your loved ones. And you make pie.

For this crazy-good peanut butter pie recipe click here.

Happy Easter, Peeps!

2011-04-15T10:56:00.002-04:00

Thanks so much for coming out to the Pound Ridge Farmers Market last Sunday! It was PACKED! And I sold out around 2, which made me very happy.

Seems like you all enjoyed the Pound Ridge Chicks. One of my customers described them as “like a jelly donut, but fancier.” I like that.

For Easter, I’ll be taking orders for Lemon-Raspberry Cupcakes with Marshmallow Peeps and/or Cadbury Mini Eggs. FYI, those Cadbury Mini Eggs are amazing. They remind me of the chocolate eggs I used to get at the Italian bakery when I was little, with the crispy sugar shell and the coating of chocolate inside. And the marshmallow peeps? Well, they’re just peep-freakin-tastic. Orders are pick up only next Saturday, April 23rd. Cupcakes are $2 each. Minimum order 1 dozen. Call me! Or email.

I will NOT be at the Farmers Market the next two Sundays. It’s Easter time in this Christian household, so we’ll be celebrating by going to church, eating a bunch of stuff like bunnies (the chocolate kind) and lamb (the real kind), coloring hard boiled eggs, and looking for Easter baskets filled with totally unnecessary tchotchkes and more candy to replenish the dwindling Halloween/Christmas/Valentine’s Day stash.

Should you need scones for Easter morning, just give me a holler, and you can pick those up on the Saturday before Easter as well.

Oh, and holla Mt. Kisco! FRANNIE'S GOODIE SHOP, the fabu self-serve fro-yo place next to the movie theatre, is now carrying Mrs. Larkin’s baked goods. Make sure to stop in and grab yourself a tasty treat!

I’ll be back at the Farmers Market on May 1st, which sounds crazy, cause that means this year is close to half over already. Yeesh. See you soon!

Love,

Mrs. Larkin

Scone News - Yes, We Have No Scones (Temporarily)

2010-08-10T18:04:00.006-04:00

Hey Scone Peeps,

Long time no type. I've been busy doing my scone thing - well, up until last Thursday, that is, when a tree branch took out my electric, which took out my oven and fridge, which put the kibosh on scone-making for the immediate future. It was quite a scene, what with the police and fire trucks that showed up.

Behold, the plethora of emergency vehicle activity on Lower Trinity Pass....

Here's a closer view of up the street....

And some cool road flares...smells like 4th of July....

And the blasted limb....

We waited on the front porch while the firemen searched the house for signs of smoke/fire/danger. The house was fine. Note to self: clean the bunny-sized dust bunnies on a more regular basis.

The cat was with us, too. He just lovvvves getting thrown into his carrier at a moment's notice.

Another view of the blasted limb...doesn't look like much, but on the other side is a huge branch....

Hooray! The one-man NYSEG truck is here!!!

Limb, meet your demise....

My electrician waiting for Mr. NYSEG to finish decimating the limb so he could get to work....

So, there you have it. I'll be without an oven for a bit, which means I won't be at the Pound Ridge Farmers Market this Sunday, at the least. Sears guy was here today, diagnosed the problem, and ordered several parts. Fingers crossed, I get the parts quickly, he'll be able to return quickly (tentatively scheduled for the 19th), and all the parts work properly.

Rest assured, I will be making my Saturday deliveries to Pound Ridge SconeOco and Near & Natural in Bedford Village, thanks to the generosity of my neighbor Heather for letting me use her ovens. I'll do my best to stock the SconeOco during the week, but just so you know, the supply may be sparse at times.

On the bright side, Sconeman fixed the refrigerator himself!

Yay, Sconeman!

As for what I'll be cooking, I think we'll be grilling a lot, and using the microwave - which is not that terrible. Just the other night I made microwave pizza sauce for our grilled pizza. Maybe I'll blog about that next time.

Hope everyone's having a great summer so far, and all your appliances work. I'll see you all in a few weeks!!

Love,

Mrs. L.

Back in the Scone Groove

2010-04-09T10:29:00.018-04:00

Howdy, Scone Posse!

Well, Mrs. Larkin’s officially out of hibernation. I must say, I love everything about winter, and all its layers of clothing and unshaven legs. What I DON’T like about it is not seeing my Scone Peeps every weekend and shootin’ the breeze, talkin’ scones and such, not to mention the layer of blubber I tend to build up during those long, cold months. Sadly, it seems I’ve reached critical mass post-winter. So if you spy Mrs. Larkin with a scone, or any sugar-laced baked thingy going anywhere near her mouth, holler “Step away from the baked goods, Mrs. L!” or “Just say no!” or something equally compelling.

On to the important stuff…This Sunday, April 11th, at 11 a.m., the Pound Ridge Farmers Market will be kicking off in grand style. It’s Mrs. Silbersher’s 20th anniversary – so stop by Antiques and Tools of Business & Kitchen and wish her well! There will be barbecuing, antiquing, and food artisans galore, so I hope you’ll head out and see us all. I guess I don’t really consider myself an artisan, although a whole bunch of people tell me so. I just like to make tasty stuff for people and they, in turn, are happy because of it, and come back for more. And they pay me for it, so it’s doubly-good. Hmmm…sort of akin to a drug dealer. Okayyy, let’s change the subject.

For the big day, expect a multitude of scones in all sorts of flavors...

along with Crack Cookies...
(oh boy, there goes the drug reference again...)

and maybe a surprise or two, depending on whether or not I get my butt in gear today and tomorrow. Must. Overcome. Inertia. First. And drink copious amounts of coffee.

Oh, before I forget, let me tell you guys what I’ve been up to over the winter (besides getting fat, and going to the orthopedist to get my knees x-rayed and him telling me I’m fat and that’s why my knees hurt.) You guys know I like food, right? There’s a new website out in the blogosphere called food52, which I’ve kinda grown addicted to. (Sconeman’s threatened to put a timer on the computer, so as to limit my habit, that’s how bad it’s gotten.) Anyway, check it out for yourselves. They have weekly recipe contests, and winners will be published in their book at the end of the 52 weeks. One of this week’s themes is SUGAR COOKIES and guess who’s a finalist?? Yep, me. So go the website, sign up, look at Mrs. Larkin's Sugar Cookie Recipe, pause and take awe in its beauty and simplicity...

and vote for me if you like it.

It’s especially important this week because the food52 folks and the Cook’s Illustrated experts (aka the Christopher Kimball empire) are going head-to-head with dueling recipes. So if I get to the next level, chances are I might meet with fame and fortune (or at the very least, a bounty of OXO kitchen tools). I’ll have samples on Sunday, so come by for a taste.

I’m going for my second cup of coffee now. And I’m feeling surprisingly motivated, so gotta run.

Love,

Mrs. Larkin

Scone News - A Few Of My Favorite Things

2009-12-03T10:22:00.005-05:00

Here are 10 of my favorite things I’ve come to appreciate in life, in no particular order:

Bacon - John Boy’s Farm
Especially when it’s already cooked and presented to me on a platter ready-to-eat, or maybe stuck in a Bacon-Cheddar Scone. Saturdays, 9 Pheasant Road, Pound Ridge, 11-4 p.m. johnboysmarket@aol.com

Sun Dried Tomato Pesto - Cucina Fiorelli
Angela Fiorelli Carey, Personal Chef & Cooking Coach. Angela’s tomato pesto is like an instant party in a jar. Just get yourself a log of goat cheese and assemble both together with some breads/crackers for an awesome appetizer. Don’t forget to invite some friends over for the full party effect. For this and more of Angela’s kick-ass Italian foods, send her an email. cucinafiorelli@yahoo.com

Bread - Chef Robert Ubaldo
Get his bread. Dip it in the pesto. You will see. He’ll be at the house with brother John Boy on Saturdays, 9 Pheasant Road, Pound Ridge, 11-4 p.m.

Coffee - Gorilla Coffee
Available at Near & Natural, 1 Court Road, Bedford Village. Roasted in Brooklyn, NY. It’s N&N’s house brew. AND you can buy it by the bag and brew it at home, which, let me tell you, is dangerous because you WILL become addicted to this stuff, but it is so worth it. Invite some friends over, impress the heck out of ‘em with your insanely delicious coffee, and say good riddance to your bad-coffee reputation.

Road Food - Swanky Frank’s
182 Connecticut Ave., Norwalk, CT, 203-838-8969. Their dogs are the BEST. Their fries are the BEST. Onion rings too. Just get everything. You won’t be disappointed. For serious. Stop there for lunch one day when you gotta do a Costco run.

Soap - Clean Ridge Soap Company
Do you know Mia the soap lady? Well I do, and her soap makes me happy, so get some! My fav is the liquid Kitchen Hand Soap – smells so citrus-y good and makes smelly smells disappear! Shazam! Just like that. Her lotions and candles are super-duper too. www.cleanridge.com

Auto Body Repair - Star Auto Body
Mt. Vernon, NY, 914-668-8432 (okay, shameless plug for my brother Robert’s business – but he’s really goooood – a perfectionist like me.)

Kitchen and Bath- Euro Tile & Marble
Elmsford, NY, 914-347-7600 (another shameless plug – my brother-in-law Lucio does awesome kitchen and bath work. Visit his showroom on Main Street/Route 119.)

Dentist - Advanced Dental Care
Armonk, NY, 914-730-7373 (I’m shameless, right? Dr. Kamen, you ROCK! You might’ve seen her on Halloween in Pound Ridge – she was the really cool-looking vampire with the sharp-looking teeth.)

Scones - Mrs. Larkin’s Truly Scrumptious Scones and Baked Goods
Pound Ridge, NY. Well of course I’d be on this list, silly! Pick ‘em up on Saturday mornings at Pound Ridge Sunoco or Near & Natural in B. Village when you’re on your way to John Boy’s house. Or give me a call if you need something special. I get asked a lot “So Mrs. Larkin, what’s your favorite scone flavor?” I love them all, but in my book, the Cranberry-Orange (oh so good) is right up there with the Lavender-Blueberry (intoxicating aroma – makes me wanna do crazy things). But what you’re probably thinking is “That’s real nice, Mrs. Larkin, now make with the Bacon-Cheddar Scones!”

Hope you’re having a good December.

Love,

Mrs. Larkin

To be taken with a grain of salt, or a bunch, around the rim

2009-09-08T22:14:00.005-04:00

A recent viral email I received from "Dr. TJ" promoting the health benefits of a popular beverage, which has inspired me to create a new scone flavor:

"Please forward this to all the women you care about, or at least tell them about it. It could save a life....

An important Women's Health Issue Notice:

Do you have feelings of inadequacy?

Do you suffer from shyness?

Do you sometimes wish you were more assertive?

If you answered yes to any of these questions, ask your doctor or pharmacist about Margaritas.

Margaritas are the safe, natural way to feel better and more confident about yourself and your actions.

Margaritas can help ease you out of your shyness and let you tell the world that you're ready and willing to do just about anything.

You will notice the benefits of Margaritas almost immediately and with a regimen of regular doses you can overcome any obstacles that prevent you from living the life you want to live.

Shyness and awkwardness will be a thing of the past and you will discover many talents you never knew you had.

Stop hiding and start living, with Margaritas.

Margaritas may not be right for everyone.

Women who are pregnant or nursing should not use Margaritas.
However, women who wouldn't mind nursing or becoming pregnant are encouraged to try it.

Side effects may include dizziness; nausea; vomiting; incarceration; erotic lustfulness; loss of motor control; loss of clothing; loss of money; loss of virginity; table dancing; headache; dehydration; dry mouth; and a desire to sing Karaoke.

WARNINGS:
*The consumption of Margaritas may make you think you are whispering when you are not.
*The consumption of Margaritas may cause you to tell your friends over and over again that you love them.
*The consumption of Margaritas may cause you to think you can sing.
*The consumption of Margaritas may make you think you can logically converse with other people without spitting.

Please share this with other women who may need Margaritas."

Scone News - Hot in Here

2009-08-22T18:51:00.001-04:00

Hello Scone Fans,

Mrs. Larkin is back from vacation. Seems like we had to travel to Maine to find summer. Now I’m ready to crank up the oven, and turn the A/C up to eleven!

Come on down to the scone stand tomorrow at the Pound Ridge Farmers Market and fill me in on what I’ve missed over the past 2 weeks. Grab a scone, sit in the shade of the scone tent with me, and I’ll tell you all the sordid details about our trip to Maine, including our jaunt to the Maine State Prison (gift shop, that is.)

Wait till you sink your teeth into my Lobstah Scone! Nah, just joshin’. But I will have the new Cherry-Chocolate Chunk scone made with Montmorency cherries (these babies are loaded with antioxidants) and Scharffen Berger Bittersweet chocolate chunks (dark chocolate is too!) I’ll also have Lavender-Blueberry, regular Blueberry, Cran-Orange, and Chocolate Chip scones. Plus Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies…unless we eat them all for dinner tonight.

See you tomorrow!

Love,

Mrs. Larkin

Mrs. Larkin's Life on the Street

2009-07-21T15:31:00.002-04:00

Seen and heard at the Pound Ridge Farmers Market:

Jogging Man with Oven Mitts, carrying Walkman, wearing stereo headphones. (It was a chilly day. Oh, mother dear, we sadly fear, his mittens he has lost!)

Ralph Lauren driving TO New Canaan in his bright yellow fancy car.

Famous lady wearing loosely-wrapped sarong. Peek-a-boo!

A few of the more colorful characters: Cockatoo; Cockapoo; Labradoodle; Goldendoodle; Wirehaired Dachsund; Bernese Mountain Dog; mutts; Barney and Betty, the most beautiful German Shepherds I’ve ever laid eyes on.

Ralph Lauren, driving back FROM New Canaan, in his bright yellow fancy car. Hey Ralph, how come you never stop?

Famous NY restaurant guy said my Lavender-Blueberry scones are very good! Yippee!

Harvey Fierstein crossing to the other side. Of the street.

Talking scones with one of my favorite NY Times food writers.

Way-too-much-botox lady with side cleavage. I know some guys enjoy the side cleavage thing, but at the farmers market???? Pu-lease! Here’s Mrs. Larkin’s conversation with Way-too-much-botox lady: ML: “Hi! How are you?” WTMBL:“I’m staaaaaaar-ving!” ML: “Well, you are in the right place, then!” WTMBL: “No, I’m not! I’m on a diet!” Surprisingly, she did not buy anything from anybody.

3rd graders saving the universe bake sale. Bring it, girls! Mrs. Larkin’s takin’ you DOWN! (I am seriously just kidding here.)

Scone News - Check Out my Tweets

2009-05-28T12:23:00.002-04:00

What a great weekend! It was really nice seeing all of you who stopped by the scone stand. I am so grateful for your kind words and your continued patronage! And welcome to all the new folks on the email list.

Say, how’s about a free scone? Then come play the Secret Word of the Day game with Mrs. Larkin! Here’s how it goes: Mrs. Larkin will Tweet her Secret Word of the Day every Sunday morning. The first two (2) people to come to the scone stand that same day and tell her the Secret Word of the Day wins one (1) free scone! Oh, and when telling Mrs. Larkin the Secret Word of the Day, you must use Secret Word of the Day in a sentence. Any questions? What’s a Tweet, you say? Go to www.twitter.com/mrslarkins and you can take a peek at Mrs. Larkin’s Tweets. Become a follower of Mrs. Larkin’s on Twitter and you’ll divine all the mysteries of the scone world. Or at the very least see what I’m cooking up at the moment. Or ask me a baking-related question, in 140 characters or less, and me and my minions will give it a go.

Come early for better selections. And your chance to win a free scone! No lollygagging, people! Scones go fast. Pound Ridge Farmers Market every Sunday at 11:00 a.m. on the patio of Antiques and Tools of Business and Kitchen, 65 Westchester Avenue.

Now I gotta think of a good word…

Love,

Mrs. Larkin

Scone News - Yo Mama So Hungry

2009-05-07T13:11:00.001-04:00

Thanks to everyone who came out in the rain last Sunday. Mrs. Larkin took off right quick when the scones started getting wet. Nothing worse than a wet scone, unless you’re dunking it into a cup of Mrs. Larkin’s mighty fine java. I met some newly addicted scone fans, who said I’m doing a world of good for the scone ecosystem in Westchester. Wow.

Let me tell you about the rave reviews the new Cinn-ful Scone got. Turns out it’s quickly becoming the new fav. It’s a scone with a multiple personality disorder…part scone, part cinnamon roll, part coffee cake. It’s bad (in a sugary good way.) It’s good (in a sugary good way.) Maybe we shoulda named it the Sybil scone. I kinda like Cinn-ful though. It’s catchy. Kinda naughty. Different. And interesting. So if you’d like to show Mom and all of her alter egos how much you love them, pick up a Cinn-ful Scone this Sunday, May 10th.

Not that there’s anything remotely funny about chemical addictions, BUT…..Mrs. Larkin’s highly addictive Crispy Chocolate Chip Cookies are now available down on the corner at the Sunoco Café. (do you like how I’ve upgraded the ambiance by not saying gas station?) So if your brain desperately needs a cookie and you’re looking for a fix, stop in. Code words are “the scone lady sent me.” Karen and Tim will fix you up lickety split. And you’ll feel good in no time.

Hope to see you on Mother’s Day at the Pound Ridge Farmers Market, where I’ll be working my patootee off, hawking my baked goods, when I should be laying on the couch eating bonbons, and having Mr. Larkin peel me grapes. (is the guilt mojo working? I guess I’ll find out on Sunday.)

Love,

Mrs. Larkin

P.S. Mrs. Larkin is all a-Twitter. Check out her Twitter page and become a follower! Sounds so cult-ish, doesn’t it? Just don’t drink the kool-aid and you’ll be fine. http://twitter.com/mrslarkins

Scone News - Hip Hop

2009-03-29T22:23:00.003-04:00

I said-a hip-hop-hippity-hoppity…

Okay, maybe Mrs. Larkin should keep her day job and not try rapping, like Joaquin Phoenix. Good luck with that, Joaquin. But the Easter Bunny is really good at hip hop and he’s bound to be bigger than Lil’ Wayne. Keep your eyes open for Easter B. coming to a basket near you in a couple of weeks. His music video is jammin’. Check it: Easter B

Anyone looking for Easter goodies can peruse the Spring 2009 Menu. Pick up only on April 11th, the Saturday before Easter. Just call about a week ahead to place your order. Check out the spring specials like the Burl Ives-inspired Lavender-Blue Dilly Dilly Scones. I took a bunch up to The Brookfield crew today and heard things like “very lovely floral undertones” and “inky/blue-colored berries with a classic terroir perfume of licorice, black currant liqueur, cedar, and spice.” Aw, heck, what they really said was “man, these are so good!” and “blueberries and lavender complement each other really well!”

And talk about sweet-tart – no, not the Botox-injected wannabe you saw jogging on the bike path in short-shorts, silly! I’m referring to my Key Lime Cupcakes – tangy, tart and really yummy. These will most definitely arouse your taste buds, and perhaps inspire you to take a walk on the bike path, too.

Love,

Mrs. Larkin

Scone News - Tighten Up

2009-03-16T19:32:00.001-04:00

Sound the reveille! Mrs. Larkin’s Newsletter is back from hibernation! Boy, was it nice to take a couple months off. From writing my email, that is. Not from scone baking, which is a frequent occurrence here, dormant state or not. I must admit some days are more productive than others, like one day last month when I thought nothing of drinking a full pot of high-test coffee made with my new French press pot I got for Christmas. Haven’t pulled an all-nighter in a long while. But I did get a ton of stuff done that day!

So this year we’re all about tightening our belts, budgets, pocket books, bank accounts, wads, fists, lips, waistlines and so on. But rest assured, you can still get one of Mrs. Larkin’s honkin’ scones at the Pound Ridge Farmers Market starting April 19th. Same delicious, truly scrumptious scones. A virtual plethora of yummy goodiness awaits you. Meantime, please stop in and visit Near & Natural in Bedford Village and the Sunoco station in Pound Ridge to get your hands on one of these buttery babies. I hear they’re pretty darn good.

Love,

Mrs. Larkin

Scone News - Ho Ho Ho!

2008-12-17T12:05:00.001-05:00

How to avoid the “Naughty” list:

1. No laughing or calling names. Even when the guy from out-of-state is tailing you on Westchester Avenue, or flies through the stop sign in Scotts Corners. Maybe he’s got somewhere really important to go?

2. Let all the reindeer play reindeer games. Even if he’s got a big fat red nose, or other unsightly appendage. You’re probably not America’s next top model.

3. Forget the Pop Tarts and the Frosted Flakes…have warm scones for breakfast on Christmas morning. Pick them up at Mrs. Larkin’s on Wednesday morning, (that’s Christmas Eve before noon). And then on Christmas morning, just pop them in a 350 degree oven for 10 minutes…mmmm…heaven.

Oh, there will be merriment and glee in your house, I’m sure. And not a naughty-lister in sight. Happy Holidays!

Love,

Mrs. Larkin

Scone News - You Can Ring My Bell

2008-12-06T15:40:00.000-05:00

Hope everyone had a nice Thanksgiving and ate sufficient amounts of turkey, gravy, stuffing, mashed potatoes, cranberry sauce and green beans. MMMM…I can smell it all over again. Thanks to all of you who ordered scones and stuff for your feast. Glad I could be a part of your celebration! Let me know if you need anything for the upcoming holidays. See attached PDF for Mrs. Larkin’s Holiday menu.

The house smells so good right now. I’m baking pumpkin bread (it is really really good) for the Pancake Breakfast bake sale on Saturday. Slathered with butter. Cup of tea on the side. Hits that sweet spot fo shizzle. Hopefully, I will be able to produce said pumpkin bread on Saturday, and not eat it all beforehand.

So if you’re wondering “What will Mrs. Larkin do with herself during the long, dark days of winter, when she could be out at the Farmers Market every Sunday freezing her patootee off selling scones?”, I’ll tell you…

This Sunday, December 7th, I won’t be down on the corner BUT I will have a limited supply of MINI chocolate chip, cranberry-orange, and blueberry scones here at Scone Headquarters (a.k.a. 22 Lower Trinity Pass, Pound Ridge, just a hop-skip from the corner.) Smaller than the regular scone (hence the “mini”), they’re available at bargain-basement scone prices; $2 each. Come on by and snatch ‘em up (and pay for them, of course.) First come, first served. You snooze, you lose.

The early bird catches the worm, er, mini scone.

Love,
Mrs. Larkin

Scone News - No Sugar Tomorrow

2008-11-29T15:29:00.001-05:00

Sorry, folks…due to the impending bad weather, I will not be at the Pound Ridge Farmers Market tomorrow, November 30th. Stay tuned for future Scone News to see when I’ll be back.

Don’t forget Near & Natural in Bedford Village (delivering M, W, Sat) and the Pound Ridge Sunoco station, formerly known as the Shell station (delivering M, W, F), to get your scone jones.

Local happenings…if you want to see with your own eyes Mrs. Larkin wielding her mighty spatula, come to the Pound Ridge Elementary School Pancake Breakfast, taking place the morning of Saturday, December 6th. It’s a 50’s diner theme, and a fundraiser for the 5th graders, so grab your leather jacket, your poodle skirt and be there or be square!

Love,

Mrs. Larkin

Scone News - I See Hungry People

2008-11-25T14:55:00.003-05:00

Thanksgiving is one of the most loved holidays…whether you’re Christian, Jewish, the electric company or a turkey farmer. You can add scone bakers onto that list too. Well, I’ve always loved Thanksgiving, but now I love it more because I’m making a bunch of stuff for the smart cookies who placed their holiday scone orders. It’s like a circle of love… you love my scones (they make you happy), I love to bake (it makes me happy), and the electric company loves me right back, (I’m sure I’m making them very happy). I’m grateful to you all, even the electric company, for giving me the opportunity to do what I love.

While you’ve got that 20-pounder roasting away for half the day, and if you’re like me and need your Christmas music the second people start talking turkey, you might want to peruse my new holiday playlist on the scone blog. There’s something for everyone…rap singers, chain blingers, Linus, Lucy and Johnny Mathis. It’s not necessarily all Christmas music…I threw in the Hanukkah song and some Nirvana (no, really, it sounds like a cold, snowy day). Check it out below.

Hope to see you this Sunday, November 30th, at the Pound Ridge Farmers Market. It’s the last one of the season, can you believe it? I’ll be there at 11:00 a.m. But make haste! I don’t think I’ll be there very long, so come early if you can. Otherwise, I’ll be taking orders throughout the winter. Just call me at 764.7699 and place your scone order of a half-dozen or more for pick up.

And don’t forget, I’ll still be delivering to Near & Natural in Bedford Village. And stop in to see the new and improved Sunoco station (formerly known as the Shell station) here in Scotts Corners, where you might have noticed the prices have dropped closer to where your 401K can afford. That is, if you’ve still got one.

Happy Thanksgiving everyone!

Love,

Mrs. Larkin

Scone News - Gimme Some Sugar

2008-11-20T16:35:00.002-05:00

Mr. Larkin and I celebrated our 17th wedding anniversary the other day. (that’s turquoise, if anyone’s interested in sending a gift.) He took off for a couple days and we got to spend a lot of quality time together...specifically, Swanky Franks in Norwalk, and X2O in Yonkers. Two restaurants on opposite extremes of the, shall we say, extravagance spectrum. Great dogs at Swanky Franks, which you can get either grilled or deep fried, baby. And the Yonkers Seafood Chowder at X20 was deelish (I know it sounds kinda suspect, but believe me, it was real good.) The views alone of the river and the Palisades are reason to schlep down to South Yonkers. If you haven’t been to either of these fine establishments, you must add them both to your bucket list.

Suffice it to say, the diet starts tomorrow (just in time for Thanksgiving). But I’ll still be cranking out scones for the Pound Ridge Farmers Market this Sunday, November 23rd. Thanks to all of you who came out in the cold last Sunday. Let’s think warm thoughts and hope for higher temperatures soon. The hot coffee will be flowing, so grab a coat and come on out!!! And Joan WILL have the fire going, I swear.

The last Farmers Market is just around the corner (November 30th). I’ll still be delivering to the Shell Station in Pound Ridge and Near & Natural in Bedford Village through the winter. And, rest assured, you can always call Mrs. Larkin to place your scone order of ½ dozen or more for pick up at Scone Central (a.k.a. my house).

Love,

Mrs. Larkin
914.764.7699

2008-10-17T22:15:00.000-04:00

My friends, magical things are happening in Pound Ridge. Free pizzas, scones on Sunday, pots of gold. Well, 2 out of 3 ain’t bad. A pot of gold would be nice, but we’ll settle for a free pizza from Pinocchio’s in Scotts Corners. Seriously, they are giving away the pizza. And it was very good. So I urge you to call them, because I don’t know how long the magic will last. I’m guessing 11:00 p.m. cause that’s when they close on Fridays.

Upon receiving your free pizza, you’ll probably feel inclined to come to the scone stand on Sunday, October 19th, to thank Mrs. Larkin personally, and maybe buy a scone or two. If you don’t live in or near Pound Ridge, take your chances and come up on Sunday. The magic might still be lingering.

The Ginger-Pear Scones were a huge hit last week. Mrs. E. came by with the Welsh-folk, who are visiting from across the pond, and picked up a few flavors. They liked them so much, they came back for more. Which was a really nice compliment. I’ll have Crispy Chocolate Chip Cookies and Hungarian Shortbread, too. But wait! There’s more! Choco-Choco Chip Scones. And Pumpkin Scones. And Blueberry. And Cranberry-Orange. And Chocolate Chip. Scones aplenty.

Don’t forget – get your holiday orders in early. I’ll have holiday menus available at the scone stand on Sunday.

Cheerio!

Love,

Mrs. Larkin

Scone News - The Butcher, The Bakers, The Candlestick (and Soap) Maker

2008-10-07T21:45:00.002-04:00

Thank you for all the kind words about the New York Times article. I’m grateful to so many of you for supporting what I do!! And if you’re wondering “What in the world is she talking about?” then check it: Holy Cow! It's Mrs. Larkin in the New York Times!

It was really nice to see so many of you last Sunday. Thanks for coming out on such a gray day. Luckily, the rain held off. The other Mrs. Larkin came up from down-county to lend a hand. And Miss Larkin was there for a while, too, so if you were triple-lucky that day, you got to see three generations of the Larkin ladies at work.

This weekend is shaping up to be real nice, weather-wise. It’s been downright chilly the past few days (and nights!) We’re boycotting the furnace for now. Which for me is very challenging since I’m always cold. The Marshall Oil guy just finished the Fall cleaning and said the oil burner is in ship-shape. So we’re ready for winter. (Ready or not, more like it.) The oven’s on a lot lately, so I figure I’ll just pop a squat in the kitchen and stay toasty warm.

So this Sunday, grab some cash from under your mattress, (the safest place these days it seems,) and come get yourself a truly scrumptious scone, a cuppa coffee, and other great things from John Boy, Bob the Baker, Mia the soap-and-candle lady, and Angela at Cucina Fiorelli. See you at the Farmers Market!

Love,

Mrs. Larkin

Scone News - Some Like it Hot

2008-10-02T21:21:00.003-04:00

Hoo Doggy! What a weekend! The scone stand was chock-a-block with excitement. Men and women in uniform, lots and lots of fire trucks, ambulances, sirens, flashing lights, oxygen-toting EMT’s and musical entertainment. Thanks to all of you who made it out to the Farmers Market and the Firemen’s Parade. I love it when friends come by, conscious or not, and keep me company. (Conscious is the preferred mental state, but I’ll take what I can get.)

I hope to see you again this weekend at the Pound Ridge Farmers Market on Sunday, October 5th, starting at 11:00 a.m. There’s a Craft Fair going on as well, so come early for optimal scone selection. I’ll have other tasty things, including Hungarian Shortbread and Crispy Chocolate Chip Crackalackin’ Cookies, Yo!

We had quite a nice response to last week’s trivia question. The answer was Loser by Beck. Sorry to all you non-winners. Here’s another chance to get crazy with the cheese whiz. You know the drill. The first correct answer wins the free scone. Good luck!

Which of the following do the Larkins collect:

a. Banana stickers
b. Tea pots
c. Vintage Nerf toys
d. Cookbooks
e. Rocks
f. State quarters
g. All of the above

OFFICIAL RULES AND REGULATIONS: NO PURCHASE OR BRIBERY OF ANY KIND IS NECESSARY TO ENTER OR WIN THIS SWEEPSTAKES. A PURCHASE OR BRIBE WILL NOT IMPROVE CHANCES OF WINNING. Mrs. Larkin’s Trivia-of-the-week is only open to legal or illegal residents of the 50 United States and District of Columbia, the whole world, and universe (with the exception of the Horsehead Nebula), except employees and their immediate family (i.e., parents, children, siblings, spouse [sorry, honey]), and persons residing in the same household, as such individuals. Tampering, peeping through windows, entering without knocking, or other unauthorized access to the Larkin household will immediately disqualify your entry, not to mention anger Mrs. Larkin who will wield her mighty oven mitt and flashlight and call the cops. Prize is one scone and one scone only. Mrs. Larkin limits the winning of trivia question scone to once every month. Let’s not be greedy, people.

Hey, in case you’ve been busy reenacting the Leatherman’s Loop this past week and/or you don’t get the New York Times, check out this link to a really nice article that appeared in last Sunday’s Westchester section. It’s all about Mrs. Larkin. check out Mrs. Larkin in the NY Times! I’m especially grateful to Alice Gabriel for her kind words.

Hope to see you Sunday!

Love,

Mrs. Larkin

Scone News - Get Crazy With The Cheese Whiz

2008-09-27T14:23:00.001-04:00

You crazy kids, get your mind out of the gutter!

Yay! It’s Mrs. Larkin’s Trivia-of-the-Week! Be the first to name the song whose lyrics include this week’s Scone News title and you’ll win a free scone (or baked good of your choice, of equal or lesser value). Hint: Scroll down and peruse Mrs. Larkin's mighty playlist. Then listen carefully. It may take all day, like finding a needle in a haystack, so before you begin your beguine, stop by the Pound Ridge Farmers Market this Sunday, September 28th, starting at 11:00 a.m. and stock up on some Pumpkin, Blueberry, Chocolate Chip, Lemon-Ginger, or Cranberry-Cornbread Scones. There may even be a hint in this email…oh, I’m so mysterious!

Good luck to all those who have not won a trivia question before!!

See you at the scone stand!

Love,

Mrs. Larkin

Scone News - Insane Scone Posse

2008-09-15T23:41:00.002-04:00

The natives are restless! Quick! Get the Pumpkin Scones! And then peace will once again prevail in the world. Or at least at the Pound Ridge Farmers Market this Sunday, September 21st, starting at 11:00 a.m. it will. No sense spending the day inside scrolling through your stock portfolio. Come get a fresh-baked scone, a cuppa joe and forget your troubles!

Thanks to all those who made it out to the Pound Ridge Country Fair last Saturday. The rain stopped, thank goodness. Which left the field a bit on the mucky side, and a lot of the exhibitors in a ditch of mud. I felt like one of John Boy’s Berkshire pigs, only not enjoying the feel of mud caking all over my ankles. If I could be any animal, I know I definitely would not want to be a pig. I’d be very cranky. I think I’m more of a three-toed sloth girl. I like to sleep. A lot. And I’m not a morning person, so waking at 6 a.m. to bake for you each Sunday is quite a challenge. But I really enjoy it.

So come on by, pull up a milk can, sit a spell, and we’ll shoot the breeze about your tanking Lehman investments, or what cut of Berkshire Pork you’ll be cookin’ up for Sunday dinner.

Love,

Mrs. Larkin

Scone News - Hot Scones for Teacher

2008-09-10T21:28:00.008-04:00

I’ve been thinking a lot about my skills lately, what with the excessive news coverage of the talented Governor Palin in all her moose-hunting glory. She sure is good with a gun. I can’t say I can field dress a moose, or any freshly killed game for that matter. But I’m pretty darn good at carving the turkey on Thanksgiving. Or a baked ham. And scones, well, scones I know I’m pretty good at, cause you all keep telling me so. So if an Alaskan moose hunt is on your radar anytime soon, you may need to get yourself Bub Hallett’s instructional video guide at http://www.aftertheshotinalaska.com/. Me, I’m sticking with roast turkey for now.

I got the nicest email from one of my new customers, who happens to be a teacher at Pound Ridge Elementary School. She said: “I am over the clouds and I will never be able to look at you the same way again in the halls of our school. Your scone is absolutely the best I have ever tasted in my entire life! I am eating it in phases, even saving some for tomorrow at school to soften the blow of the end of summer vacation. Truly scrumptious is an understatement. Where are they sold? Absolutely amazing!” Wow! I thought that was so nice. Guess who got a scone on the first day of school?

Thanks to all of you who came from near (Pound Ridge) and far (Yorktown Heights) last weekend. I hope you can make it back to the Pound Ridge Farmers Market this coming Sunday, September 14th starting at 11:00 a.m. I’ll have a very limited supply of scones. (The Larkins are going to a Mets game. Go Metsies!) So come early and say hello to Mrs. Larkin’s substitute at the scone stand.

And don’t forget about the Pound Ridge Country Fair this Saturday, September 13th at the town park! All the farmers will be there this year, including Mrs. Larkin. So come out, grab a scone and hang with the townies. It’s going to be a lot of fun! The party starts at noon on Saturday.

The "s" word

2008-02-04T17:46:00.000-05:00

Scones...it's a love/hate relationship right now. I love them, for the most part. It's the waking up at 6 a.m. that I don't love so much. I am not a morning person. Just ask the Man. I'm baking for Near & Natural three days a week. Which is great. And I'm working in the store Mondays and Wednesdays. Come visit when you can. 1 Court Road, Bedford Village, NY. They've got the best coffee, great products and really good food. For N&N I'm using organic sugar, organic butter, organic rBST-free heavy cream, free-range vegetarian-fed hand-massaged hen eggs. Okay, I'm kidding about the hand-massaged part. Well, I don't really know WHAT they do to their chickens - they just might be massaging them, talking to them sweetly, reciting poetry, who knows. But the scones are pdg - pretty darned good.

Here are my crispy chocolate chip cookies - highly addictive. I try to supply them to my friends infrequently - I don't mean to be their enabler, but these cookies are soooo good you see, it's hard to just eat one. These were a staple in the house before the scone blitz. The cookie jar was ever-bountiful. Maybe I'll make them again this week.

I luv Nutella

2008-01-13T19:39:00.000-05:00

I've been playin' around with this blog thing. I am so blog un-savvy, it's not funny. But I will make a feeble attempt, if only for your entertainment value. So bear with me.

The other night, or rather, many nights, (and days) our conversation goes something like this:
Me: "So, what do you guys feel like eating for dinner?"
Guys: "I don't know, what is there?"
"Quesadillas?"
"No."
"Taquitos?"
"No."
"Grilled cheese?"
"Noooooo."
"What about pasta?"
"No."
"Nachos?"
The boy: "Yesssssss!"
The girl: "I don't feel like nachos."
"Okayyyyyy, how about Nutella crackers?"
"Okay."
"Excellent!"

Tonight, I actually cooked a meal...lasagna roll ups. Mix 15 oz. part-skim ricotta, (why can't they make it 16 oz.? Drives me crazy.), a handful of parmigiano reggiano, some diced mozzarella, a grating of nutmeg, dash of minced parsley, 2 eggs, and some salt. Next time, I'll use one egg; it was a little goopy. This gives you enough filling for 7 Ronzoni lasagna sheets, which I discovered after boiling the entire box. I wrapped up the leftovers and will do something inventive with them another day. I had a smidge of my leftover tomato sauce and a half jar of Rao's (very good stuff). Pour some sauce in bottom of baking dish. Spoon ricotta cheese mixture down length of lasagna pieces and roll up. Place on top of sauce in the baking dish. Fill baking dish with rolls and spoon more sauce and parmigiano over top. Cover with foil. Bake at 350 degrees (convection) for 30 minutes, then 10 minutes uncovered. Let sit 10 minutes. It was really yummy.

Good night!

Day One!

2008-01-09T20:09:00.000-05:00

Well, here goes nothin. My official scone blog. All scones all the time. And other stuff some of the time. Just one more venue to waste more time (mine and yours). But fun to read if you enjoy food like I do.

Bless me father, it's been weeks since my last scone. You know, with the holiday orders, and the holidays themselves, I haven't really wanted one. But I do love 'em, and I know that a lot of you do too. And I swear I'm developing carpal tunnel syndrome from making so many over the past several months.

Dinner tonight consisted of Trader Joe's frozen mini tacos for the boy, spaghetti with quick Alfredo sauce for the girl, and leftover chili dogs for me and the man. Now don't get me wrong, I love food and love to eat, but baking is my passion, so you see where dinners might be a little skimpy some nights. When I'm feeling guilty about this, I just don my "Slacker Mom" t-shirt that Santa got me and it's all good.

So anyway, I hope you enjoy this blog and I will try my best to add to it frequently.