Food & Drink: In the Kitchen

Scones, tea provide Evans with cooking 'Joy,' winning idea

By Kitty Crider
AMERICAN-STATESMAN FOOD EDITOR
Wednesday, November 01, 2006

Debra Evans combined her passions for afternoon tea and tart dried cherries into tender little scones that won the "Joy of Cooking" contest last weekend at the Texas Book Festival.

The recipe contest was a publicity stunt to promote the new edition of the 75-year-old cookbook, being released this week. Entrants were asked to submit original recipes they think should be in the next edition of the book — though there's no promise they will be.

Sunday afternoon, five finalists braved a public judging by Randy Evans, chef at Brennan's in Houston; Beth Wareham, editor of the new "Joy of Cooking"; and Melissa Guerra, author of "Dishes From the Wild Horse Desert: Norteño Cooking of South Texas."

The scones competed against Elaine DiRico's chicken-fried steak, Tom Hamilton's Texas white chili, Lynne Milliron's monkey cake and Juliette Ormberget's pastry-wrapped stuffed pork tenderloin.

The cherry, chocolate and walnut scones won, the judges decided, because of great flavor, great result, few ingredients.

"This means so much to me," said Evans, who entered the contest because of the book's influence in her life. "My 'Joy' is in my car. It has no covers."

Evans is the author of 23 nonfiction books on families, spiritual growth and contemporary Christian issues. A community volunteer, she has a husband (of 37 years), four grown children, two grandchildren and 150 teapots.

"When I visit places, I always look for a tearoom. I really enjoy afternoon tea. It is such a civilized, wonderful custom. It picks you up in the afternoon to sit down and relax, reflect on the day or talk with friends."

Her prizes included $500 cash, a $250 Whole Foods shopping gift card, a $250 gift card to Whole Foods cooking classes, a gift basket of the "Joy of Cooking's" new line of kitchen tools, editorial consideration for the next "Joy" and signed copies of all the cookbooks featured in the Bon Appetit cooking tent at the festival.

Cherry, Chocolate and Walnut Scones
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/3 cup granulated sugar
2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 cup cold, unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch cubes

Beat together in separate bowl:
1/2 cup heavy cream
1 large egg
1 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
4 oz. bittersweet chocolate, cut into 1/4- to 1/2-inch chunks
1 cup walnuts, toasted and coarsely chopped
1 cup dried cherries

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Using a pastry blender or two knives, cut butter into dry ingredients, until mixture resembles cornmeal. Beat cream, egg and vanilla in separate bowl. Make a well in the flour mixture. Add cream mixture and combine with a few swift strokes. Knead chocolate, walnuts and cherries gently and quickly into the dough. Turn the dough onto a floured board. With lightly floured hands, softly pat dough to a thickness of a little more than 1/2-inch. Using a 2-inch tin cookie cutter, cut the dough into simple decorative shapes such as hearts, flowers or circles. Gather leftover pieces of dough together and repeat until all the dough has been shaped into scones. Place the scones on an ungreased baking sheet.

For optional glaze, mix:
1 large egg white
1/2 teaspoon water

Brush egg white mixture over the top and sides of the scones, if desired. Bake about 15 minutes, or until lightly browned.

Makes about 18 2-inch scones.