Daily Calendar for Sunday, April 23, 2023
Question of the Day
Do British scones always contain raisins? Where can I find a “genuine” recipe? Those I’ve tried don’t do justice to “real” scones.
No, British scones do not always contain raisins; they are optional. Here is a recipe for Cream Tea Scones that appeared in the Canadian edition of The 1997 Old Farmer’s Almanac: 2 cups all-purpose flour; 2 tablespoons sugar; 1 tablespoon baking powder; 1/2 teaspoon salt; 1/2 cup butter; 1 egg; 2/3 cup milk or light cream. Combine the dry ingredients and cut in the butter. Beat the egg lightly, reserving a tablespoon for topping. Add milk to remaining egg, beat, and add to dry ingredients. Stir to make a soft dough, knead, and roll out on a lightly floured board. Cut into 2-1/2 inch rounds. Place on an ungreased baking sheet, and brush with reserved egg. Bake at 425 degrees F for 12 to 14 minutes. We should point out that our “all-purpose” flour is a little harder than the “plain” flour called for in traditional British recipes, which gives a slightly softer scone. A good substitute for plain flour is half all-purpose flour and half cake and pastry flour.
Advice of the Day
Eat artichokes to satisfy a sweet tooth.
Home Hint of the Day
Knots on new woodwork will bleed through a careless paint job. Apply a coat of a white shellac stain-kill product such as B-I-N. Let the shellac dry, prime the bare wood, then paint over it with any color.
Word of the Day
Siren
One of three sea nymphs, — or, according to some writers, of two, — said to frequent an island near the coast of Italy, and to sing with such sweetness that they lured mariners to destruction.
Puzzle of the Day
What is the biggest ant in the world?
A gi-ant!
Born
- William Shakespeare (playwright) –
- James Buchanan (15th U.S. president) –
- Lester Pearson (Canadian prime minister) –
- Shirley Temple Black (actress) –
- Roy Orbison (musician) –
- Lee Majors (actor) –
- Tony Esposito (hockey player) –
- Judy Davis (actress) –
- Valerie Bertinelli (actress) –
- George Lopez (comedian & actor) –
- Melina Kanakaredes (actress) –
- Kal Penn (actor) –
- Chloe Kim (Olympic snowboarder) –
Died
- William Shakespeare (playwright) –
- William Wordsworth (poet) –
- Harold Arlen (composer) –
- Howard Cosell (sports journalist) –
- Paul K. Keene (pioneer of organic farming in U.S.) –
- Boris Yeltsin (president of Russia) –
- David Halberstam (Pulitzer Prize-winning reporter) –
Events
- Church of England annulled the marriage between Catherine of Aragon and King Henry VIII–
- First postage stamps issued in Canada–
- Guelph, Ontario, incorporated as a city–
- Hank Aaron hit his first major league home run–
- Ranger 4 spacecraft launched–
- Natalie Wood made Harvard history when she became the first performer voted the year’s worst by the Harvard Lampoon to show up and accept her citation–
- The first YouTube video, “Me at the zoo,” was uploaded –
Weather
- Denver received 23 inches of snow in 24 hours–
- Ice out, Lake Winnipesaukee, NH–