MEEKER | “You have to have the scones. They’re the best.”
I can’t tell you how many times I heard that about the famous homemade scones served for many years at Sleepy Cat Lodge and Restaurant. And not just from locals, from people who came to visit from all over the country.
When the lodge closed, much to the dismay of its loyal patrons, the scones went away, as well, and no recipe attempted successfully replicated those tasty morsels.
This season (when we would have all been enjoying scones, because we were all going to Sleepy Cat for at least one holiday dinner) we can have them again.
Wendy Gutierrez ran across an old copy of the original recipe in her great-grandmother’s recipe box, and Steve Wix graciously agreed to let us share it in the paper.
Steve Wix’s Sleepy Cat Scones
1 pound margarine
4 tablespoons salt
8 cups milk
Melt margarine and combine with salt and milk.
1 cup sugar
3 tablespoons yeast
8 cups water
Combine sugar, water and yeast in mixing bowl and let set until yeast foams.
4 cups whole wheat flour
White all-purpose flour
Combine all ingredients in mixing bowl except white flour. Add enough white flour to make mixture firm enough to knead on a table. Add flour as required to keep the dough from being sticky while it is kneaded.
Roll out about a half an inch thick and cut into two- or three-inch squares. Let rise a few minutes then cook in deep fryer at 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
Eat wth butter and honey or ice cream.
Makes about 175 scones. Better cut this recipe down a little unless you’re expecting a crowd!
Made them, cooked them, served them AT Sleepy Cat in summer of 69! My best summer Ever!