Some Goji baked-goodness?...

...or some wacky hungry-like-the-wolfberry-might-as-well-dump-them-in-'cause-I-didn't-have-any-cranberries scones.

Yup, these are Goji Scones. More of a savoury biscuit than a clotted-cream douceur, to be sure!

Guess what? That strong tincture of yellow you see smeared around the places where the berries dot the scones? That doesn't just look like something from a hot pepper. Goji berries are part hot pepper. Goji peppers is actually a more suitable name than goji berries, if you ask me.

Or if you were around to taste these.

So, while these creations were not spicy hot, these were definitely some scones for serious constitutions.

Other (better) ideas for Goji in the kitchen?

As a food, dried wolfberries are traditionally cooked before consumption. Dried wolfberries are often added to rice congee, as well as used in Chinese tonic soups, in combination with chicken or pork, vegetables, and other herbs such as wild yam, Astragalus membranaceus, Codonopsis pilosula, and licorice root. The berries are also boiled as an herbal tea, often along with chrysanthemum flowers and/or red jujubes, or with tea, particularly pu-erh tea, and packaged teas are also available. Various wines containing wolfberries (called gǒuqǐ jiǔ; 枸杞酒) are also produced, including some that are a blend of grape wine and wolfberries. At least one Chinese company also produces wolfberry beer, and New Belgium Brewery makes their seasonal Springboard ale with wolfberries used as flavoring. Since the early 21st century, an instant coffee product containing wolfberry extract has been produced in China. Young wolfberry shoots and leaves are also grown commercially as a leaf vegetable

From Wikipedia, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wolfberry#Culinary

Stollen holiday memories linger...

At Christmastime I made my brother a Stollen. In return, he schooled me on techie stuff, like how to enter a blog entry... like this one! Since Christmas, I have been doing more baking than blogging. What can I say, it's still looking white Christmasy at my house. I have now made two more Stollen loaves -- each different from my brother's gift. But since I was at home, they didn't turn out to my satisfaction, mainly because I was relying on memory for the recipe (which is at the bakery, which is closed for a break). I am back to work on Monday so I'll get the recipe and try some more. I've even promised to make it again for my brother and send it to him early next week. I've said I won't let him down. (But I already have since I forgot my password to blog and to my Flickr site! Yup, these words were not typed in by me! Thanks a lot bro!) Either way, just trust me I am Stollen-obsessed and I've been researching it and there are all kinds of variations of this seasonal German treat: hazelnut, chocolate with fruit, marzipan. I am going to make a regular one and one another one... what's your favourite Stollen? Promise to share the results soon!
P.S. You saw my Xmas brunch sconewiches but did you see my holiday pound cake with eggnog cream and caramel sauce? Don't think so! Now posted on my Flickr set: KG Bakes