Reaching for an afternoon snack is a fairly regular routine for most people. Whether it’s framed in the elegant ritual of tea service on a Sunday afternoon, or the more common, Venti to go, with a mass-produced pastry from a display case between week day meetings; a lite bite between lunch and dinner has almost become a necessity. It helps to keep us satiated till supper time, keeping us alert and avoiding a pre-dinner slump (much like the origins of Afternoon tea). <br /> <br />It is believed that afternoon tea became a trend around the 1840’s, when the Duchess of Bedford requested a post luncheon snack to ease hunger spells while waiting for the evening meal to be served. (Affluent households fashionably served dinner around 8 o’clock at night). The Duchess enjoyed sharing this new habit of tea, cakes, bread and butter with friends; and it caught on. <br /> <br />One of the treats served with afternoon tea is believed to be the humble scone, something I am embarrassed to say that I had never eaten till about three years ago. When I managed my catering business, I often worked local farmer’s markets and had a loyal following of clients who came for my gluten free selection of goodies. My flour based selection included cinnamon buns and I wanted to include something on the gluten free menu that could mirror the buns as a breakfast, or afternoon snack option. Enter the scone. <br /> <br />I knew nothing about scones and neither did Rock Star hubby. We had both eaten English muffins, biscuits and even crumpets, but not scones. I set out to find a gluten free version that would yield a product that my customers would enjoy: Happily, I was successful, and they sold out regularly. <br /> <br />When I shut down my business, I packed away the recipe and forgot about it. Fast forward to present day, and I find myself digging it up, ready to be included in the afternoon snack rotation for Rock Star hubby. <br />This recipe yields a dry crumb that is delightful. We both thoroughly enjoy a scone in the afternoon, but with our coffee rather than a tea, while we discuss the events of our day. Not as formidable or lavish as the Duchess of Bedford, but effective at keeping hunger at bay, and more importantly yummy.

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