Lemon Berry Scones

I made these for Father's Day, for my incredible dad, who's been nothing but a beacon of strength and love through my mother's illness. My dad and I have always been pals, from the beginning. We used to go on hikes together and collect bugs, then we 'd take them home and identify what kind they were. (As an adult, I scream at the sight of a spider..what happened?) These days, he and I love going on culinary field trips together, to Asian food markets and farmers markets and he always sends me articles from the paper on food related topics. These little things reminds me of how much he cares, and how much he thinks of me in his day to day life. He was my first hero and my glimpse of what a real, dedicated, honorable man should be, and I'm proud that he is my father.

Now, wipe your eyes, and read the recipe below!

This was my first attempt at making a scone (what's wrong with me?) despite my Irish heritage and the fact that I love them! My mother makes them, my grandmother did, so I can too, right? Well my dad liked them, and I thought the texture and flavor were good, but I'm gonna have to make a few more batches of these to really perfect them! Overall, A+ from Dad on the first try!

2 c all-purpose flour

1/4 cup sugar

2 tsp baking powder

1/4 tsp salt

1/8 tsp fresh ground nutmeg

1/2 c butter, chilled and cut into small pieces

1/2 c milk

1 egg

1 tsp lemon zest

1/2 c fresh raspberries

1/4 c fresh blackberries

2 tbsp milk

1 Tbs. sugar

Preheat oven to 425º F.

In large bowl, combine flour, sugar, baking powder, salt and nutmeg. Cut in butter with pastry blender (or your fingers) until the dough has coarse crumbs throughout.

In a separate bowl, combine 1/2 c milk, egg and lemon zest and mix well. Add milk mixture to dry ingredients, mixing with fork just until dry ingredients are moist and a soft dough forms. Gently stir in berries. Gather dough into a ball and gently knead for about 1 minute. (Don't be afraid to add some flour to your work surface or your hands to keep the dough from sticking to you or your surfaces!)

Place dough on greased baking sheet. Pat into about a 9-inch circle, 1/2-inch thick. With sharp knife, cut through dough to form 8 wedges; but do not separate. Brush top of dough with 2 tbsp milk; sprinkle with sugar.

Bake until golden brown, 20 to 22 minutes. Cut through scones, separating wedges, and return to oven for a bout 5 minutes.

For the glaze:

equal parts lemon juice, zest and confectioners sugar. Stir until blended and a "glaze" like consistency is formed. Place into a small sandwich bag, cut the tip of a corner, and lightly drizzle across each scone. Allow to cool and serve!