Scone of the week: Apple and old cheddar with streusel topping

Behind the scenes, it ain't pretty. I make a big mess every time I bake. I always have to wash my clothes afterward, because I still can't control my habit of wiping everything on myself instead of, you know, a towel, or whatever adults do. But while I'm sharing, you should know that beneath all of those burnt blobs and blips of miscast streusel lies one of the best investments I have ever made: a Silpat. I've been known to create full-blown fires in our oven, so anything that cuts down on the likelihood of burning food gets my approval.

Anyway. Scones. These puppies are good. No, great. They are the best scones yet: they've got chunks of apple, hunks of sharp, old, white cheddar, a pinch of cinnamon and cloves, and crunchy, buttery, oaty streusel on top. I have, in effect, recreated apple pie with a slice of cheddar (a favourite pairing of my father's I used to find puzzling, if not revolting. Alas, just like his peanut butter and bacon sandwiches, I've come around to it and regretted wasting the first 20-odd years of my life not eating it.), only in scone form, so it's acceptable breakfast fare. Right? Right.