Daily Calendar for Wednesday, April 23, 2025
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
Shanty
A small crude shelter used as a dwelling. A rhythmical work song originally sung by sailors.
Puzzle of the Day
Where do cows go on Saturday night?
To the moo-vies!
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) –
- Frederick Richard (Olympic gymnast) –
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 –