After the major success he faced with his sconezones (a cross between a scone and a calzone) earlier in the year, Perth baker John More has launched his newest creation today – the Scones of Destiny.
To mark the return of the Stone of Destiny to Perth in 2024, John, who goes by the bakery name of Johns Scone Mad, is making the scones to celebrate the event and showcase the abundance of food and drink producers in the wider Perthshire region.
Having had the idea for a while, John decided to launch them three years ahead of the stone returning to Perth after a local food and drink festival approached him.
He said: “The Great Perthshire Food and Drink festival got in touch with me a couple of months ago and asked if I’d like to come up with some new scones that coincided with the festival.
“I said to them I already had this idea that I was wanting to launch soon about the Scones of Destiny.
“I kind of came up with it as a bit of a joke, much as I do with everything else then they seem to turn into a success.
“It’s going to be ongoing and I’ll keep doing this until the Stone of Destiny arrives. I’ll be making up loads of different flavours and trying to make a new Scone of Destiny every week.”
Shaping destiny
Shaped to look like the stone itself, which is rectangular, the scones are a similar size to the traditional round ones.
“The thing that’s going to relate all the Scones of Destiny is the actual shape, John continues.
“They look a bit like mini loaves of bread – you can cut them in half and have them with soup, or make a sandwich if you didn’t want them as a scone.”
Local flavours
Launching today in Mhor Coffee House in Perth, John has created four flavours with up to 20 more flavour combinations planned.
“I’ve got a really nice stout that works well for backing from Cullach Brewery on Princes Street in Perth. I’ve been using that with Strathearn Cheese Company. So there’s the stout and cheese flavour ones,” he adds.
“I’ve also got a local guy to Bridge of Earn who makes his own honey, and I’m combining that with coffee from Mhor coffeehouse – for the honey and coffee flavour.
“Then there’s also a guy who sells the best tablet I’ve ever tasted, and I’m combining that with local raspberries.
“I have a curry-flavoured one as well. Obviously you don’t get curry stuff growing in Perthshire but I’m using my own homegrown potatoes, my own chillies, and as much as I can grow myself.”
Selling out
Garnering a lot of popularity over recent months, on the back of his sconezone success, John’s scones have been selling out fast, and are expected to go quickly.
“I’ve been hosting a stall at Perth Farmers’ Market every month and they’ve been sort of telling me off as every time I do it I sell out really quickly – I’m meant to be there until 2pm on market days but I can’t make enough stock as it just sells out so fast!
“The minute I open up there are queues and we sell out of everything we’ve got, it’s absolutely nuts.
“Hopefully people like the Scones of Destiny idea and they become popular as well.”
Though John doesn’t have a commercial premises, orders are able to be made through his Facebook page for collection at his converted kitchen garage in Bridge of Earn.