All around our stores we have been decorating and getting ready for the changing of the season, using the vivid fruits of fall.  If you have ever visited our stores, you know how much we love to create seasonal vignettes using our antique accessories, changing our displays to reflect the changes during the year.  Now is the time for us to be inspired by the colors and scents of the harvest, as well as our new antique arrivals.Chilly, crystal-clear mornings make us crave the coziness of fall, as we pull out our woolly sweaters and brew pots of hot tea.  On one of these cool mornings I was making my weekly pilgrimage to Whole Foods Market.  Approaching the store I stopped in my tracks ~ in front of me was a tantalizing display of pumpkins.  They were in all shapes and sizes and in an amazing variety of colors, from creamy white to bright orange.  I’ve never seen such a bountiful medley.  They were piled high, cascading down in giant heaps.  I could not resist!  They called to me, announcing summer is over and autumn is here!

In this Fall season, if your décor has light grey and beige tones, the white cream pumpkins give the perfect touch of autumn to the lighter color schemes.  We clipped wild grass from the fields to create a simple, earthy arrangement that compliments the tones and to add soft texture to this setting.

Autumn is always welcome in the south as we get rewarded with cool and refreshing weather. The fruits of the harvest are all around us inspiring me to try new recipes as well as some old standards in my kitchen. The other morning our daughter Rebecca brought over some apple-pumpkin butter, so I just had to get in the kitchen and make my Cinnamon Scones. It is hard to resist the smell of cinnamon as it permeates the air. Of course we brewed a pot of tea~ thoroughly enjoying our afternoon and welcoming autumn with open arms.

I would love to share with you my recipe for Cinnamon Scones. Happy baking!

Inessa’s Cinnamon Scones

This recipe is wonderful this time of the year. The smell of cinnamon reminds me of fall.

Ingredients     
3 cups all purpose flour
½ cup sugar
2 ½ teaspoons double-acting baking powder
½ teaspoon baking soda
1 tablespoon and ¼ teaspoon cinnamon
¾ teaspoon salt
1 ½ sticks (¾ cup) cold unsalted butter, cut into bits
½ cup chopped walnuts
1 cup buttermilk
1 tablespoon heavy cream

Preparation
Preheat oven to 400°. In a bowl sift together the flour, 6 tablespoons of sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and one tablespoon each of cinnamon and salt. Mix in the butter; rub it in with your fingers until it resembles small peas. Stir in the walnuts and buttermilk. Combine the mixture until it forms manageable dough. On a well-floured surface knead the dough lightly for 30 seconds and pat it gently into one-inch thickness. With a well-floured heart-shaped or round cookie cutter, cut out the scones and place them on a well-oiled cookie sheet. In a small bowl, combine the remaining 2 tablespoons of sugar and the remaining ¼ teaspoon of cinnamon. Brush the tops of the scones with cream, sprinkle with sugar mixture, and bake the scones in the middle of the oven for 12 to 15 minutes, until golden brown. Cool on a wire rack slightly and serve warm with pot of hot tea and apple or pumpkin butter.
Makes about 15 scones.