Hall of Fame Scone
One of the advantages of my real life job is that I schedule morning appointments in proximity of which bakery I want to visit. This week I scheduled an 8 am Thursday appointment in Spring Lake, NJ. The hours of small batch bakeries are not the hours of the larger commercial bakeries. Those bakers put in insane hours and spring ahead is not welcomed. Small batch bakers, like the Scone Pony in Spring Lake, are usually open from Thursday to Sunday with limited hours. If you have never been to Spring Lake, well, it is probably the toniest beach town in NJ. My client was renovating a 25 million dollar property.
It has been some time since I have visited the Pony. It is essentially the first floor of a modest colonial shore home on Washington off Third Ave. It turns out we can smell sweet and trouble a mile away. When I opened the door the smell of vanilla scones, brownies and monkey muffins blew me away. The Scone Pony crew were still putting the finishing touches on their daily specials. Six people, all unique in human colors, working in the space of a country kitchen, delivered the treats with smiles and kindness. I felt lifted into a haze of sugar wonder filled with fantasies that this food is great for my health. Triglycirides and cholesterol be damned. The readers deserve authenticity and bravery, so full speed ahead Wake and Bake boy.
A four pack of the best scones sat on the passenger seat of the F-150 with stealie face badges. These scones are Hall of Famers; we are talking Aaron and Mays here. We are talking last meal here. They are light, airy and sweet and unlike other scones because the scone is not dense. I had mine when it was warm out of the oven and it dissolved softly and sensually in your mouth. Those scones were going to make some people happy that day. What a simple way to spread the love.
The case carried the classic blueberry, cranberry orange, chocolate chip and my favorite the vanilla bean. Honestly, the chocolate chip is really decadent. It is a tough choice. The customers that received the unexpected scone that morning validated my opinion. Mark picked the Cranberry Orange and later that day Ken picked the Vanilla Bean. The facial expressions of joy said more than anything an old cranky boomer would have to say. A simple act of sharing food is one of the oldest acts of kindness that is common to our humanity. And it is a great sales tool!
I am not sure how baseball and bakeries entered my thoughts as I consumed the blueberry scone. Perhaps it was spring forward and the warmer weather, or the talk of spring training baseball on the radio, I imagined an unusual lineup card of Hall of Fame Bakers. The Scone Pony is that good! There were childhood memories of Seven Layer cake and Yellow cake with chocolate frosting from Gold Bell Bakery in Linden. The cheesecake at Anthony’s Cheesecake in Bloomfield would be at my table. When I want the perfect croissant I will drive to Housatonic, Massachusetts and visit the Berkshire Mountain Bakery. When I lose all self control and time is running out than I will head right to Joe’s Bakehouse and get the Brooklyn Blackout Cake and the Strawberry Shortcake.
After all, what are we here for? Do we always have to watch what we eat? My greatest joy is bringing these sweets to my family and friends. Life without treats would be less fun. If I have to give up living to 93 instead of 90 because I eat cheesecake than I am willing to make that sacrifice. In the interim the Wake and Bake truck will continue to explore new bakeries. Every day we can make other people happy like our bakers do. The bakery is a sign of a sophisticated culture throughout time. Often it is the center place of an entire community. They bring sweetness and sustenance to people and that brings simple joy that adds to our collective journey. As Jerry once said, “ May we all live an uncluttered life,, a simple life, a good life and think about moving the whole human race ahead a step”.
Peace to Everyone. Please listen to the music below and go see this group! It is their new single…
Bakery of the Week: Artist Baker, Cattone Street, Morristown. The Cinnamon Biscuit was outstanding and shout out to my good friend RS who surprised me, with a wonderful hug, as I was ordering numerous treats.
Hike of the Week: Lewis Morris/ Jockey Hollow National Park. Picture above from the red trail in Lewis Morris State Park..
Music of the Week: I’m With Her.. Sarah Jarosz, Aoife O’Donovan , Sara Watkins.
I've never actually been to the Scone Pony, but I discovered their scones more than 10 years ago. When Rook Coffee opened their first place in Oakhurst, they would offer scones from their. I fell in love with both Rook Coffee and the scones from Scone Pony.