Scone Home

There are many pretenders to the throne of scone royalty—often lumpen things trying to come off as more than the hockey pucks they are—but right now in Santa Barbara, nothing beats the scones from Bella Dolce Bakery (113 W. De la Guerra St., 962-2253, belladolce.com). Baked good aficionados have known Chef Eileen Randall Cook’s delectable ways for years; the joy of getting to consume her scones six days a week, baked fresh without ordering ahead since the opening of her shop, is a pleasure one shouldn’t miss. No matter the flavor—which range from blueberry-Meyer lemon to maple-bacon (porkoholics, rejoice!)—the architecture of every scone is pure delight, crisp and sugar-brushed on the outside, yet moist and flaky on the inside. The two textures play off each other brilliantly, proving that in the right hands, dough is far from a simple thing. And the fact that you can also get area-roasted, certified organic, free-trade coffee from Green Star at Bella Dolce only makes said scone that much more lovely.