Simple Pleasures (an ongoing series): Sweetie Pie's Lemon Poppy Seed Scone

Food, through its tastes and aromas, has a powerful connection to memory. One of my most memorable “meals” in Napa was the breakfast that my fiancée and I had on the first morning of our first trip here. We woke up at about 6:30 in the morning since we were still on east coast time and decided to head into downtown Napa for coffee. Our guide book had mentioned a good place called Napa Valley Coffee Roasting Company (I still go there regularly – they also have a bustling St. Helena location). We made our way to the shop and drowsily ordered some coffee and a lemon poppy seed scone.

Having had a number of mediocre scones from places like Starbucks, I was not expecting something so delicious from a pastry calling itself a scone. But, we were tired and hungry, so this large scone looked like a good option. I don't think either one of us was prepared for how good this scone was going to be.

When I bit into the scone I discovered bits of candied lemon hidden throughout. The sweet tartness of the lemon was balanced by the rich butteriness of the scone dough. The scone is also covered with a lemon and poppy seed glaze, which added another layer of sweet and tart. One tip: like a cupcake or slice of cake, you have to take care to balance your frosted and non-frosted bites (and make sure neither you nor your companion are too greedy).

I love lemon-based pastries and sweets, and this one tops my list. But, like many foods it does so both for how it tastes and for the memories it evokes.

***

For those of you visiting Napa, the scones are available at coffee stops throughout the Valley, including Napa Valley Coffee Roasting Company (Napa, St. Helena); Oakville Grocery; and, Dean & Deluca (St. Helena). They are made, however, at the Sweetie Pie’s in downtown Napa, which is a great stop for breakfast or to satisfy your sweet tooth at any time of day.