Food - Drink
How Queen Elizabeth And President Eisenhower Bonded Over Scones
By KALEA MARTIN
When President Dwight Eisenhower visited Queen Elizabeth II at Balmoral Castle in 1959, the two bonded over the queen’s scones. A 1960 letter written by the queen to Eisenhower reveals that the president requested the recipe during their meeting, and Queen Elizabeth forgot to share her recipe at the time.
Her note read, “Seeing a picture of you in today’s newspaper standing in front of a barbecue grilling quail, reminded me that I had never sent you the recipe of the drop scones which I promised you at Balmoral.” Today, the letter sits in the National Archive, and the recipe has been saved in the Eisenhower Library.
The queen’s letter broke down the ingredients and preparation for the beloved scones, explaining how she would sometimes substitute golden syrup or treacle for sugar. If you choose to recreate the recipe yourself, invite a friend or two over for tea, as it serves enough for 16 people.