Simnel Cake: British Food History
Observed the fourth Sunday of Lent, known as Laetare Sunday, a day when the strict fasting rules of Lent are traditionally relaxed. The name referred to the practice of returning to one’s “mother church”—the main church or cathedral of the region—for a special service. Over time, this evolved into a day when people, especially young servants and apprentices working away from home, were given time off to visit their families and attend their home parish church and sharing Simnel Cake.
Vide: Office of National Statistics: How is the fertility rate changing in England and Wales?
The weather this week has been glorious! 🌤️
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— University of Lincoln, UK (@unilincoln) March 6, 2025
BSI Group | Estates Annual Report 2024
UNESCO mun mæla með námskeiði í umhverfis- og auðlindafræði við Háskóla Íslands um hafið og sjálfbærni í tengslum við Áratug hafsins á vegum stofnunarinnar.
👇https://t.co/SgFdRNVgxT pic.twitter.com/WZXTH5YMDZ— Háskóli Íslands (@Haskoli_Islands) October 23, 2024
🧸🩹Fyrir um 14 árum kom Guðrún Edda Min Harðardóttir með bangsann sinn til skoðunar á Bangsaspítala læknanema í HÍ. Nú um helgina var hún hinum megin við borðið og hlúði að fársjúkum böngsum og dúkkum á spítalanum sem fyrsta árs læknanemi.https://t.co/wZLPthMi2K pic.twitter.com/aYl1YrE1pb
— Háskóli Íslands (@Haskoli_Islands) September 16, 2024
“…I have spread my dreams under your feet;
Tread softly because you tread on my dreams.”
–W.B. Yeats | ‘He Wishes for the Cloths of Heaven’
The history of scones is believed to have originated in Scotland. The name “scone” is said to come from the Dutch word “schoonbrot,” which means “beautiful bread.” Scones have a long and interesting history that dates back several centuries.
Originally, scones were not the sweet, buttery treats we know today. Instead, they were simple unleavened oatcakes or griddle cakes made from barley, oats, or wheat. These early scones were baked on griddles or stovetops rather than being oven-baked.
As time went on, the recipe for scones evolved, and they became more commonly associated with Scotland and England. The Scottish version of scones was typically round and made with oats. They were cooked on a griddle or in a pan and then cut into triangular sections, which were known as “bannocks.” These bannocks were the ancestors of the modern scone.
In the 19th century, with the advent of baking powder and modern ovens, scones began to be baked instead of griddle-cooked. The addition of baking powder allowed scones to rise and become lighter and fluffier. The ingredients were refined to include flour, butter, milk or cream, and a leavening agent like baking powder. This marked the shift from the traditional oat-based scone to the more recognizable wheat-based scone we know today.
Scones’ popularity spread beyond Scotland and England, and they became a common teatime treat across the United Kingdom and other English-speaking countries. The addition of raisins, currants, or other dried fruits, as well as sugar, transformed scones into the sweet delicacies that are commonly enjoyed today, often served with clotted cream and jam in the classic English afternoon tea.
In the United States, scones have also become popular, with various regional and cultural variations. American scones may be larger, sweeter, and have a wider variety of flavor options, such as blueberry, cranberry-orange, or chocolate chip. Today, scones continue to be beloved treats enjoyed for breakfast, brunch, afternoon tea, or as a delightful snack with a cup of tea or coffee. Their history reflects centuries of evolution and cultural influence, making them a delightful and enduring part of baking traditions worldwide.
National Standards Authority of Ireland
Standard Scone Recipe
The standard scone is a simple and versatile preparation that can be customized with various additions, such as dried fruits, nuts, or chocolate chips, to suit different tastes.
Here is a basic recipe for making standard scones:
Ingredients:
Instructions:
This standard scone recipe provides a classic and delicious base that you can experiment with by adding various flavors and mix-ins to create your own unique variations.
“The love of our private friends
is the only preparatory exercise
for the love of all men.”
— John Henry Newman
The Newman Centre in Ireland is a Catholic chaplaincy and student center located at University College Dublin. The center is named after Blessed John Henry Newman, a prominent 19th-century Catholic theologian and cardinal who was recently canonized as a saint by the Catholic Church. Its spaces are open to Catholic students and staff at the university, as well as for the wider community. These include daily Mass, confession, adoration of the Blessed Sacrament, Bible study groups, social events, and retreats. The center also hosts talks and lectures on topics related to Catholicism and the Catholic intellectual tradition, and supports student-led initiatives and outreach programs.
The Newman Center is part of a global network of Newman Centers and Catholic campus ministries that aim to provide spiritual and intellectual support for Catholic students in higher education. The centers are typically named after John Henry Newman, who wrote extensively on the role of education in developing the whole person and fostering a deeper understanding of faith and reason.
“Heard melodies are sweet,
but those unheard are sweeter…”
John Keates (Ode on a Grecian Urn)
History of Western Civilization Told Through the Acoustics of its Worship Spaces
Hillsdale College | The Theological–Political Problem and the American Founding | Glenn Ellmers
From George Washington to the Hebrew Congregation in Newport, Rhode Island, 18 August 1790
In Federalist No. 2, John Jay [1764 Graduate of King’s College; now Columbia University] argues that a strong union under the Constitution will promote peace and prosperity, which are conducive to the spread of religion and morality:
“Providence has been pleased to give this one connected country to one united people—a people descended from the same ancestors, speaking the same language, professing the same religion, attached to the same principles of government, very similar in their manners and customs… These considerations, and many others that might be mentioned, prove, and experience confirms it, that artificial distinctions and separations of [America’s] land are essentially unnatural; and that they may be eradicated and extirpated by the united and advisable efforts of individuals and communities…”
The Federalist Papers discuss themes of morality, social order, and the importance of a cohesive society, they do not explicitly emphasize the importance of Christian faith to the American constitutional republic. The authors generally focused on principles of governance, political theory, and the structure of the proposed Constitution.
Harvard’s Memorial Chapel, also known as Memorial Church, was designed by the architectural firm Coolidge, Shepley, Bulfinch, and Abbott. The church was dedicated on Armistice Day, November 11, 1932, as a memorial to Harvard alumni who died in World War I.
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Sunday Service Announcements and Music Notes
John Harvard, the namesake of Harvard University, was a 17th-century English minister lived on campus from 1607 – 1638 and conformed to Puritan ideal of dedicating Sundays to worship, prayer, and rest.
Ballymaloe Cookery School is situated on a 100-acre organic farm in County Kerry. It produces the freshest vegetables, fruit, meat and dairy products, all of which are used in the kitchen every day. We teach a diverse range of cooking styles but the fundamental message we pass on to our students is the importance of putting time and effort into sourcing the highest-quality ingredients.
Kerry College of Further Education
Napoleon Bonaparte changed the specification for the traditional round bread so that his soldiers could more easily march with food. Chef Woehrle from the National Center for Hospitality Studies in Jefferson County Kentucky demonstrates how to do it.
Do you know the difference between Italian cornetto and French croissant? pic.twitter.com/P2SMHzMQc6
— TasteAtlas (@TasteAtlas) August 27, 2024
Sullivan’s is thrilled to announce that it now offers the Professional Baker Diploma program at our Lexington campus!
In as little as 9 months, earn your Baking and Pastry degree in a quick, straight-line approach.
Learn more at https://t.co/QnMUcu4eHF pic.twitter.com/3PGSXO7rr5
— Sullivan University (@SullivanU) May 10, 2023
New update alert! The 2022 update to the Trademark Assignment Dataset is now available online. Find 1.29 million trademark assignments, involving 2.28 million unique trademark properties issued by the USPTO between March 1952 and January 2023: https://t.co/njrDAbSpwB pic.twitter.com/GkAXrHoQ9T
— USPTO (@uspto) July 13, 2023
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