Eating Opalina's Scones with the Persian Pickles

I think the Pickles would love this apron with the cheerful polka dots and the seed packet fabric - including the Kansas sunflowers seed packet!

1930's Timeline

1930 - More than 1,300 American banks fail, unemployment exceeds 4 million as Depression sinks

1931 - The Star Spangled Banner becomes the national anthem

1935 - Benny Goodman and band usher in the Swing Era

1937 - First Social Security checks distributed

1938 - Congress established a minimum wage - 25 cents an hour

While you're reading The Persian Pickle Club, you might enjoy some of Opalina's Scones like she served to the Pickles.  (Hopefully, your scones will not be as dry as Opalina's were!)

"We had barely finished talking about the Celebrity Quilt when Opalina said it was time for refreshments.  'I'll put the kettle on.  I'm serving scones,' she announced, as if it was a surprise. 

"'I'd hoped you would, Opalina,' Mrs. Ritter said.

"I had hoped she would not, but fat chance.  Opalina always served scones, just like Nettie always served fruitcake.  The scones weren't as old as the fruitcake, but they were just as dry, with none of Tyrone's bootleg to help them go down."

                                                         from The Persian Pickle Club, page 71

Opalina's Scones

4 cups flour

1/2 cup sugar

4 teaspoons baking powder

3/4 teaspoonful salt

3/4 cup butter

1 cup raisins

1 cup milk

2 eggs

1 tablespoonful vanilla

1 tablespoonful grated lemon peel

1.  Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

2.  In large bowl mix flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt.  Cut butter in with pastry blender.  Add raisins.

3.  In another bowl, whisk milk, eggs, vanilla, and fresh lemon peel together.  Pour into flour.  Combine with fork.

4.  Divide in three pieces.  Pat each piece into a circle on a floured board.  Sprinkle with coarse sugar.

5.  Cut in eight pieces.  Put pieces on well-greased cookie sheet.  Bake for 15-20 minutes.

I found the recipe and 1930's timeline in Egg Money Quilts by Eleanor Burns.

You might also enjoy reading my previous blog post:
http://www.starwoodquilter.blogspot.com/2013/02/dresden-plate-quilt-block-quilting-with.html