Blueberry-Chocolate Scones for Worker Bees

By Cal Orey, The Writing Gourmet

Here I sit organizing compiled work--tons of papers (all kinds) from interviews to brochures, books, products in the pantry, bathroom and around the cabin--to finally begin the new, sweet book: The Healing Powers of Honey (Kensington, October 2011). Read: I'm blocked big time. (I wonder if worker bees get blocked?)...

I tried to swim but the water was too cold. Walked the dogs. The sky was gray--the way I like it. Wrote the "What's Cookin' at Callie's Cabin" for Friday and the July Earth Changes "I Feel the Earth Move" (page 32 for June: The End Game: Doomsday Films) columns. And now it's a friendly visit to my blog. Translation: I'm doing everything imaginable but go to the desktop computer and begin to use my imagination and pen my new book for the "Healing Powers" series. I just got the idea if I bake up a batch of scones--with nutrient-rich blueberries and dark chocolate--it may boost brainpower. Or not.

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Blueberry-Chocolate Scones

2 1/2 to 3 cups 100 percent natural whole wheat flour

1/2 cup brown sugar

1/4 cup granulated sugar

1/4 cup European style butter (cold cubes)

1 brown egg

3/4 cup 2% low-fat buttermilk

1 cup low-fat all natural vanilla yogurt

1 teaspoon allspice

1 tablespoon baking powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 tablespoon fresh lemon rind, grated

1 1/2 cups fresh blueberries

1 cup dark chocolate chips (Ghirardelli 60% cocoa content)

organic raw sugar

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. In a bowl, mix flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt and spice. Add chunks of butter, sliced in small squares. In another bowl, combine buttermilk, yogurt, egg, vanilla and stir till a dough like mixture forms. Drop spoonfuls onto a parchment-lined cookie sheet. Brush tops with buttermilk. Bake till brown, about 15 minutes. Sprinkle with raw sugar. Makes 16. Serve with cream cheese and/or all natural blueberry honey.

Two more articles to write. Deadline June 10. The new book? I vow to the world to begin writing IT this week. I am so blocked. It's a terrible feeling. Imagine you are able to do anything and everything but the one thing you should be doing.Or think being stuck in traffic or a line at the store. Not fun. It's time to hit the kitchen. Or maybe I'll watch the rest of Armageddon. (I wonder why we can't hire a Dream Team to take care of the BP oil spill?) It would be more soothing to view the action-oriented film--and real-life coverage of the oil catastrophe going on day 40-something--with a homebaked scone fresh from the oven with a cup of tea(or 20). Make that chamomile.
P.S. For the record, I'm not always a victim of the block. An interview with me in the Books2Mention literary magazine about my work was published today. It had to be the chocolate that got me through the block for my past books for a decade.