Lavender & Lemon Scones

I am wearing shorts and flip flops. Our windows are wide open. The shade was a welcome cover from the bright sun. At last, it seems like winter is retreating spring has decided to show it's baby face. I get winter... I understand it. It's a necessary evil. And you know, December to February is fine. March is tolerable. By April, the days of thirty degrees and whipping wind leave something to be desired. But fear not, folks, we're done. We are done. 

Back in early April, Jules started her green thumb endeavor on the rooftop.  Despite a few chilly days in there, green buds started poking their way through the soil, and before we knew it, she was the owner of a full blown herb garden. Common feedback from herb gardeners is that often, too much comes too soon, and there is herb overload. In this case? Lavender. And there is only so much aromatherapy soap one can make. So, we improvised. And thank you Bon Appetit, for this wonderful recipe. Admittedly, the consistency of these little guys turned out more like lavender biscuits than scones, but with a little bit of butter and some sweet raspberry jam, they were perfect for a cup of coffee on a bright sunny day. So come on spring... we are so ready for you.

Lemon & Lavender Scones
3 cups all-purpose flour plus more for surface
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 teaspoon dried lavender buds
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) chilled unsalted butter, cut into 1/4-inch cubes
1 cup plus 2 tablespoons buttermilk
2 teaspoons finely grated lemon zest
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 tablespoons sanding or granulated sugar

1. Arrange racks in upper and lower thirds of oven; preheat to 425°. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper. Whisk 3 cups flour and next 5 ingredients in a large bowl. Add butter; rub in with your fingers until mixture resembles coarse meal.
2. Whisk 1 cup buttermilk, zest, and vanilla in a small bowl. Add wet ingredients to dry ingredients. Stir until shaggy dough forms.
3. Transfer to a lightly floured surface; knead until dough forms, about 5 turns. Pat into a 10x6" rectangle. Halve dough lengthwise. Cut each half crosswise into 4 squares. Cut each square diagonally in half into 2 triangles. Divide between baking sheets. Brush with 2 Tbsp. buttermilk. Sprinkle with sanding sugar.
4. Bake until scones are golden and a tester inserted into the center comes out clean, 13–15 minutes. Transfer to wire racks; let cool.