Whether gifted to loved ones as a celebratory present, a condolence offering, or purchased for your own personal enjoyment, the arrival of delicious scones at your doorstep is nothing short of sweet. “Scones provide a welcome comfort,” states Katie Caldwell of Highland Gourmet Scones. “Many of our customers purchase from us because someone else sent them some of our scones. It’s a domino-effect gift—someone receives it as a gift, and someone gives it to someone else.” The scone-delivery craze has become sort of a modern-day Harry & David gift basket with a bounty of tender scones replacing the colorful fancy fruits the brand is famous for. Depending on the particular company, customers can choose to order a one-time purchase of scones, typically in quantities of four to 12, or to purchase a subscription service where a box of freshly prepared delights arrives to your home every month. The options are truly endless, and not all scone-delivery companies are created equally. Most deliveries are made possible by the postal service or other similar shipping businesses, but that can’t be said of Tracy Jernegan with The Rollin’ Scone in Santa Cruz, California. She hand-delivers all of her orders to local residents via an electric assist bike and has logged more than 1,000 miles cycling in the past year alone.
Every “Chief Scone Officer,” as many owners facetiously title themselves, has meticulously mastered the art of creating an impeccable scone by experimentation, attention to detail, and plenty of hours in the kitchen. The goal to forming the perfect scone is a careful balance of a crumbly (English-style) or slightly crunchy (American) outside with a tender, moist inside. “First and foremost, we do everything with wholesome ingredients and no preservatives,” remarks Katie Poma of The Secret Garden Tea Café. “We do everything from scratch with no shortcuts, and that’s the most important thing.” Some, like Highland Gourmet Scones, weigh each scone by hand, rather than rolling out the dough, to add to the artisanal quality of each unique bake. Others are more precise and formulaic with their scone-making, such as Meahgan and Kevin Borowsky of The Whistling Kettle, who try to “create the scones to be easily reheated for a ‘fresh-out-of-the-oven’ experience.” What is evident across the industry is the dedication to consistent baking methods, commitment to excellence, and the apparent love for producing the sophisticated baked good. “You have to bite the bullet for quality,” proclaims Hala Yassine of Seven Sisters Scones. “Everything we work with … butter, cream, etc., is a commodity and very expensive. You can’t compromise on the ingredients to take a shortcut financially.”
