Delightful Dingle & a Recipe for Raspberry Scones

“People from the east coast of Canada are more Irish than people from Ireland.”

That, my friends, is what an Irishman in a pub in the beautiful little town of Dingle told me. We were chatting about how incredible Ireland is: with its almost unfathomable amount of green, its delicious beer, hearty food, and of course, Irish music.

I told him how every time I heard the music, I just wanted to find a pair of spoons and join in; how it reminded me of how my family has a tendency to spontaneously break into song, and how there always manages to be a guitar or a fiddle or a pair of spoons {for those of us who aren’t so musically inclined} brought out to complement the tune.

“It’s in your blood, my dear,” he told me, “that’s lovely.”

No, sir. You are lovely. Your dog, Jack {who is hanging out in the pub with us}, is lovely. This town is lovely.

Dingle is the kind of place that one would expect to solely exist in fairy tales, movies, or Hemingway-esque adventures. Rainbow-hued buildings, picture-perfect fish ‘n chip joints, and a lone dolphin who resides in the bay, and socializes with locals and tourists alike… it’s hard to believe that it is a real place.

Alas, it is.

C and I found ourselves drinking pints of local brews in all sorts of places: pubs that were half hardware store, leather shop, or music joint; pubs that were previously courthouses {with low enough doors that anyone over five-foot-eight would smack their head while entering or leaving the building…}; pubs that were blasting football at all hours, filled with passionate supporters cheering loudly for their teams…

We found ourselves wandering up hills that were draped in shades of green that would make the folks at Pantone blush.

We literally counted sheep before bed, as the wool-clad beauties were just feet from our bedroom, bashfully baa-ing, standing at attention, waiting for their K-9 counterparts to herd them closer to home for the night.

In the morning, we’d drive down the narrow, stone-lined roads to a bakery for a quick coffee and scone {actually, we’d get two scones each. An extra was necessary for keeping us going on the road, to fuel the long drives down the coast, through dramatic passes, or, more likely, pub-hopping}. The scones were rich and moist, and broke into the most perfect, delicate layers. They weighed a ton, from the rich and creamy Irish butter, I presume. Each day there were a few different varieties available: one with dried fruit, one with fresh berries, and then the obligatory cream scone. My favourite was the one with berries; the tartness of the fruit perfectly complemented the delicate sweetness of the scone, and the smooth, salty butter completed the whole, delicious thing. And… cue drool.

Anyways, upon returning home, I’ve noticed my clothes are a little more snug. Okay, more than a little, but all of the goodies along the way were worth it; scones and all.

Now, in an effort to get my scone top under control {my current take on the dreaded muffin top} while flat out refusing to deny myself of any Ireland-inspired cuisine, I’ve opted to make my own version of our mouth-watering Dingle scones. They’re full of fibre {thanks to the whole-wheat flour}, and are made with just a wee bit o’ butter and plain milk, rather than the standard cup or so of butter and heavy cream.

Now enjoy these little beauties warm, served with tea, and pretend you’re in Ireland, okay? It’ll be like a mini-vacation, sans the dreaded scone top.

Healthy-ish Raspberry Scones Makes 12-14

Ingredients: 2 cups white whole-wheat flour 2 tablespoons sugar 4 teaspoons baking powder ½ teaspoon salt ¼ cup cold, unsalted butter, cut into cubes 1 teaspoon lemon juice + enough milk to make 1 cup ½ cup fresh raspberries 1 tablespoon icing sugar, to finish

Instructions: Preheat oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit, and line a large baking sheet with parchment or a non-stick mat.

In a large bowl, whisk flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt. Add the butter, and cut it in using a pastry cutter or a couple of butter knives – mix until you have pebble-sized bits of butter incorporated into the dry ingredients. Stir in the milk mixture, just until most of the dry ingredients are wet.

Turn out the dough onto a piece of lightly floured parchment paper and spread it out. Top with the raspberries, and fold the dough over itself a few times. Pat it down to about 1-inch thickness and then cut out circles using a biscuit cutter or a thin-rimmed glass.

Place the circles on the lined baking sheet, about 1-2 inches apart, and bake in the preheated oven for approximately 10 minutes, or until the scones are golden brown.

Let cool on the baking sheet for about 5 minutes, transfer to a serving dish, and sprinkle with icing sugar. These beauties are best enjoyed while warm!