HOT CAKES - A SHORT STORY / PASTELITOS CALIENTES - UN RELATO CORTO.

Hi my dear friends, today we're going to read a short story about "scones" the typical British hot cakes. Things are not always,  what they look like!  I hope you'll like it!

Hola mis queridos amigos, hoy vamos a leer un relato corto sobre los "scones" los típicos pastelitos calientes británicos. ¡No siempre las cosas son lo que parecen!  ¡Espero que os guste!


From: Speak Up magazine.
Photos: canalcocina.es  /  sweetandsour.es  /  corazondecaramelo.es  /  tripdavisor.es

A SHORT STORY   /   HOT CAKES by Rachel Roberts.

The Tea House in the Lanes was one of the most famous tea shops in Brighton and certainly the most expensive!  A cream tea at the Tea House cost more than at the Grand Hotel and yet the place was always full.

It was tiny -squeezed between an antiques shop and a jewellers. The street itself was dark and narrow and there were always lighted candles on the tables. I never wanted to go there. I didn't approve of such exclusive, elitist places, but I had to admit I was curious. So when Freddy invited me to go, my disapproval soon disappeared.

-Are you sure? It's so expensive!, I said.
-I know, but it's the best place there is. I went years ago and I've never forgotten it.
-There are plenty of other nice places that serve homemade scones.
-Not like this one, believe me. The cream teas cost a lot, but they sell like... well, like hot cakes.

I laughed at the weak joke and gave in. Secretly, I'd always wanted to go.

I was excited as Freddy and I walked through the freezing rain to the Tea House.
It was bitterly cold and we both sighed with relief as we walked into the warm atmosphere of the café. I had expected luxury. Instead people sat in comfortable armchairs around low tables, chatting and laughing, their faces bathed in golden light from candles and soft lamps.

A waitress walked by, carrying a tray with a plate of delicious-looking scones. Their delicate aroma filled my nose and suddenly I felt hungry.
Another waitress showed us to our table. I chose the smaller of the two armchairs. It was covered with soft, worn leather and two or three velvet cushions. Freddy's armchair had a pattern of atumn leaves. I loved the assortment of chairs and tables and the mismatched ornaments that covered every surface. It seemed more like home than an expensive teashop.

An enormous pot of tea arrived, with scones, strawberry jam and a bowl of clotted cream. The ruby-coloured jam glowed in the lamplight. The scones were still warm and as I sliced one open, a curl of cake-scented steam spiralled upwards and my stomach rumbled its appreciation.

-They only serve cream tea here,said Freddy. There's not even a choice of jam. It's strawberry or nothing.

I sighed happily as I spread jam over the two halves of the scone and dropped a dollop of thick cream into the centre of both. It melted instantly. I had stopped listening to Freddy. I was in a kind of ecstatic trance as I picked up one half of the scone, held it for second to inhale the scent of fragrant cake, buttery cream and the fruity, summer tang of strawberries before sinking my teeth into it. It was heaven!!!

Far from complaining about the exclusive nature of the Tea House, I decided I would return as soon as possible.

-My compliments to the cook! I said to the waitress when at last we left. I don't suppose you have the recipe?
-She smiled and shook her head. Everyone asks but it's a closely-guarded secret. Come again soon.

I said I certainly would and we walked out into the sleet.

In fact,  I went back two days later. Unfortunately, I got there far too early in the morning. The Tea House was closed and all was dark inside. Rubbish collectors were emptying bins into a rubbish truck.
It was raining again and, as one man lifted a bin towards the back of the truck, his wet glove slipped and the bin fell to one side, its lid open. The man picked it up immediately, but in those few seconds, I had seen inside. I had clearly seen the many catering packs of cheap scone mix!!!

I couldn't believe my eyes, so I walked along until I came to a narrow alley that led to a tiny courtyard at the back of the shops and there, next to the back door of the Tea House, was another bin. I lifted the lid and saw huge tins of industrial-quality strawberry jam!!!
Was it possible? Were they really using catering packs to make their "homemade" cream teas? I wondered angrily where the clotted cream had come from"

I went home determined to write a damning review on TripAdvisor, but something stopped me. It had been a magical experience, after all. Had the delicious taste really been a product of the soft lamps and homely atmosphere?

There's no answer. All I can say is that once a month I treat myself to a cream tea at the Tea House in the Lanes. It might be industrial rubbish but it tastes delicious!!!


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VOCABULARY

-TO SQUEEZE:  exprimir.
-NARROW: estrecho.
-THEY SELL LIKE HOT CAKES: se venden como churros.
-WEAK JOKE: chiste malo.
-TO GIVE IN: rendirse.
-TO SIGH: suspirar.
-MISMATCHED: que no hacían juego.
-TO RUMBLE: rugir.
-DOLLOP: cucharada.
-TO MELT: fundirse, derretirse.,
-TANG: olor intenso.
-RUBBISH COLLECTORS: basureros.
-LID: tapa, tapadera.
-CATERING PACKS: paquetes preparados.
-ALLEY: callejón.
-COURTYARD: patio.
-DAMNING REVIEW: una crítica mala.
-TO TREAT ONESELF: hacerse un regalo a sí mismo, invitarse.

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AND NOW HERE YOU CAN SEE THE RECIPE OF SCONES TO DO AT HOME


INGREDIENTS
-500 gr of flour
-20 gr baking powder.
-5 teaspoons sugar.
-a pinch of salt.
-150 gr butter.
-1 large egg.
-200 ml milk.

METHOD
**Preheat the oven to 220º C
**Put the flour, baking powder, sugar and salt into a mixing bowl. Add the butter cubes and rub it into the flour with your fingers.
**Make a well in the dry mix, add the egg and warm milk, and combine it quickly.
**Roll the dough out on a lightly floured surface until it's about 3-4 cm thick. With a round cutter or the rim of a glass, cut out circles from the dough and place them on a baking sheet.
**Brush the top of each scone with milk or some melted butter and bake in the oven for about 15 minutes, or until risen and golden on top. Eat just warm!
**Serve topped with jam and clotted cream.

ENJOY YOUR SCONES!!!!

If you definitely decide to make scones at home, tell me, please!!!! And if not, you can always go to a typical Tea Shop to taste these delicious hot cakes!