Jackie's buttermilk scones, by Julia Child. Girlfriends are not husbands

I am not talking again about friendships, I am referring to that especial bonding between girlfriends respect to the relation with our husbands.

It is hard sometimes to escape from your daily routine and catch up with friends. I am saying "hard" because I do get too focused on my day to day with the shopping, cooking, baby Juanan, picking up and dropping off kids to and from the school, extra activities, playdates and soon will be the homework. the more kids you have, the busier you become. It is rock science. 

I was invited to my lovely friend's house, Jackie, for a morning tea. Since our girls started Grade 1 and the extra curriculum activities (Aurelia does gymnastics, swimming and Spanish), we don't see each other as we used to. The schedules are totally different. And I miss her and the other mums. I miss the bonding that started our friendship.

It was a liberating feeling to spend time with them, chatting and updating our lives. This type of relationship is different from the relation you could have with your partner, in my opinion. I need my girlfriends to listen and share with me my feelings, my anxieties, my worries or the good things that happen in my life. 

Yes, Nick does all of that too, but an outside person will give you another perspective, even more if it is a good girlfriend. And to be honest, women love talking about feelings, partners and kids and men a bit less. Sometimes, men and women are from different planets, Venus and Mars. It does not mean I am a feminist, I am just honest. Girlfriends are necessary and it is very healthy to have them. If you have one, then you are a very like woman. Don't need anymore!

 Jackie made these mouth watering scones using the recipe of the book Baking with Julia that someone who loves her bought for her birthday. The same recipe can have very different results depending on the person who cooks. And they were...delicious! 

Make them yourself and why not, share them with your good girlfriends.

Buttermilk scones

• ·      3 cups all-purpose flour
• ·      1/3 cup sugar
• ·      2 !/2 teaspoons baking powder
• ·      1/2teaspoon baking soda
• ·      3/4teaspoon salt
• ·      6 ounces cold unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
• ·      1 cup buttermilk: 1/3 cup milk+ 2/3 cup yoghurt
• ·      1 tablespoon grated orange or lemon zest

1 ounce unsalted butter, melted, for brushing

1tablespoon sugar, for dusting

Serve them with jam or whipped cream

1.  Position the oven racks to divide the oven into thirds and preheat the oven to 425F.
2.  In a medium bowl, stir the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt together with a fork or a whisker.
3. Add the cold butter pieces and, using your fingertips work the butter into the dry ingredients until the mixture resembles breadcrumbs. It is ok if some pieces of butter remain, they'll add to the scones' flakiness.
4. Pour in 1 cup buttermilk, toss in the zest, and mix with the fork until the ingredients are moistened. If the dough looks dry, add another tablespoon of buttermilk. 
5. Gather the dough into a ball, pressing it gently so that it holds together. Turn it out onto a lightly floured work surface and knead it briefly. Cut the dough in half.
6. Brush them with melted butter and sprinkle with some sugar. And from here, you could make round scones or triangular:
1. Using a round cookie cutter dipped in flour, make the round cut
2.  Otherwise, you can make triangular shapes: roll one piece into a circle and cut it into 6 triangles.
7. Place the scones on an ungreased baking sheet and set aside while you roll out the rest of the dough.
8. Bake the scones for 12 min, until the tops are golden. Transfer the scones to a rack to cool. Serve them warm.

Tips:

•      You don’t need to sift the dry ingredients, just use a wire and stir them to create air.
• ·      This buttermilk uses yoghurt and according to my friend, that is what makes these scones so delicious. I think she is right.
•     Bear in mind that the baking sheet is ungreased.

·       Buen provecho!