Rosemont Market & Bakery – Currant Scones

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I strongly believe that the experience you have with food can be influenced by the environment you are in when you eat it. Imagine it’s a frigid, blustery day in January and you have just bought a muffin at the local bakery on your way to work. You’re rushing down the street trying to get more muffin than hair in your mouth and wishing that mittens allowed you the dexterity to properly handle your morning treat. That may not end up being your favorite muffin.

Now imagine a stunning Saturday afternoon in April. The air is crisp, but the sun keeps you warm. Your day is free of obligations so you decide to walk down to the bakery for breakfast. Or this is what happens in my spare time. This past weekend, I decided to check out Rosemont Market & Bakery. With three locations on Munjoy Hill, Brighton Ave, and Commerical Street, Rosemont has really developed a presence in Portland. It functions primarily as a market where customers can buy local or fairly sourced goods. With friendly staff, a rustic atmosphere and several locations to choose from, Rosemont provides a welcome shopping experience.
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My main interest, however, was tucked into the corner of their Commerical Street location. Upon first glance, it appears to be an old-fashioned display cupboard. But instead of books, glassware, or family photos, they have baked goods! Open the doors and you are greeted with the intoxicating smell of browned butter, chocolate, and yeast. The top shelve held mostly French pastries: croissants, pain au chocolate, and other sweet breads. The middle shelf had a nice variety of cookies, brownies, and bars. The final shelf had a collection of house made pizzas, breads, and scones. It was the scones that caught my eye. Although not a particularly difficult item to make, scones present an interesting problem for many bakers. The traditional Scottish scone is oatmeal based and can easily become a heavy, dry disc if not properly prepared. Rosemont’s chief baker, Scott Anderson, has found himself a killer recipe though. Soft and fluffy on the inside, with a slightly crunchy exterior, the currant scone was a delightful start to my morning. I highly recommend stopping by any of Rosemont’s locations and sampling their amazing baked goods!
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For my favorite scone recipe check out Deb Perelman’s Apple and Cheddar scones at: http://smittenkitchen.com/blog/2010/10/apple-and-cheddar-scones/. Hands down the best scones I have ever made.

Stop by next week for illustrated directions for my favorite oatmeal-based baked good: Baked Oatmeal Muffins!

Kelley Ruhl

About Kelley Ruhl

A new baker in town, getting to know the local bakers and bakeries. Always searching for the perfect cupcake, bread, cookie or pie. Eager to share my insights and reflections on what it takes to be a baker and what Portland has to offer the baked-good obsessed.