The Best Brunch in Hudson, NH

So this past Sunday morning, James and I were watching a rerun of my all time personal favorite television show, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, and a random quote drew up to the inspiration for our most fantastic brunch... scones!  I love a good scone.  Now I'm not talking about a flat muffin top that's lacking it's stump... I'm talking about an honest-to-goodness, tea and crumpets worth scone.  I took a recipe from Alice Medrich's Pure Dessert (a fabulous book if I do say so myself) and adapted it to not only flavors we love, but more importantly, what we had in the kitchen.  

Hazelnut Orange Scones

1 egg

1/2 cup cold lowfat milk

1/4 cup heavy cream

1 1/3 cup all purpose flour

1/2 cup hazelnut flour

1/3 cup stone ground cornmeal

1/3 cup raw sugar

2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

6 tablespoons cold, unsalted butter

2 tablespoons of orange zest

1/2 cup dried cranberries 

- In a small mixing bowl, beat the egg, milk, cream and zest together, set aside

- In a separate mixing bowl, combine the flours, cornmeal, sugar, baking powder and salt

- Cut the butter into small 1/4 inch cubes and blend into the dry ingredients with a pastry blender (if you don't have a pastry blender, your hands work well)

- Mix until the dry ingredients have they have the consistency of breadcrumbs

- Combine the wet and dry ingredients until the dough forms a slightly sticky consistency

- Fold in the cranberries

- Cover the dough with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 1/2 hour

- Preheat the oven to 425 degrees

- Once the dough is set, create 2 inch round dollops on a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper

- Brush the tops with a bit of milk to help in browning

- Bake for 12-15 minutes or until golden brown

Combine with extra fluffy scrambled eggs (my secret: a splash of milk and a teaspoon of part skim ricotta cheese whisked into the egg), roasted potatoes, wild boar bacon from the Healthy Buffalo, coffee and fresh squeezed juice (apple/kiwi/pineapple/grape) and you have what I have officially deemed "The Best Brunch in Hudson, NH."