Delicious right from the oven—these flaky scones are flavored with orange zest and Zante currants, an ancient seedless grape cultivar known as “Black Corinth”.
The humble Zante currant is, in fact, one of the oldest known raisins; its lineage the bearer of a somewhat romantic history. The first known written record was in 75 AD by Pliny the Elder who described it as a tiny, black-skinned grape growing in small bunches. The next mention—a full millennium later—appeared when the raisins became a subject of trade between Venetian merchants and Greek producers from the Ionian coast. Later, they would sold in the English market as Reysyns de Corauntz, and the name raisins of Corinth was recorded in the 15th century, after the Greek port which was the primary harbor of export. Gradually, the name transmuted into currant. By the 17th century, trade shifted once again towards the Ionian islands, particularly Zakynthos (Zante), at which time it was christened the Zante currant.
So pour yourself a strong cup of coffee, and roll up your sleeves. These scones are well worth the effort.
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