A Scone is a bread thicker than a bannock. It is made of wheat, barley or oatmeal, usually with baking powder as a leavening agent. The pronunciation in the United Kingdom is open to debate. Some sections of the population pronounce it as to rhyme with gone, and the rest pronounce it to rhyme with cone. According to Merriam-Webster, the word scone derives perhaps from the Dutch schoonbrood (fine white bread), from schoon (pure, clean) and brood (bread).

The English scone closely resembles a North American biscuit (many recipes are, in fact, identical) — itself not to be

confused with the English biscuit, which equates to the American cookie. In the United States, there is a growing tendency to refer to sweet variations as "scones" (perhaps under influence from espresso bars, where they are popular fare), while those eaten as part of savory meals are known as "biscuits". American "scones" are often baked to a dry and somewhat crumbly texture, and are typically large and rectangular. In Canada, both tend to be called "biscuits" or "tea biscuits".

English scones frequently include raisins, currants, cheese or dates. In the United States, scones sold by coffee shops often include fillings such as cranberries, blueberries, nuts, or even chocolate chips. More original fillings include smarties. However, most fillings tend to be spices, including cinnamon and poppy. In both Britain and the U.S., mass-produced scones tend to be doughier than home-made scones.In Scotland and Ulster, savoury varieties of scone include soda scones, also known as soda farls, and potato scones, normally known as tattie scones, which resemble small, thin savoury pancakes made with potato flour and resemble the Jewish latke. Potato scones are most commonly served fried in a full Scottish breakfast or an Ulster fry.

The scone is a basic component of the cream tea or Devonshire tea.

The griddle scone is a variety of scone which is fried rather than baked. In some countries one may also encounter savoury varieties of scone which may contain or be topped with combinations of cheese, onion, bacon etc.

In the Scots language, a griddle is referred to as a "girdle". Therefore "griddle scones" are known as "girdle scones". This usage is also common in New Zealand where

scones, of all varieties, form an important part of the traditional cuisine.

In the US state of Utah a "scone" commonly refers to a deep fried flattened bread which serves as the basis for "Navajo" tacos and is commonly consumed by itself with honey butter. It is similar to frybread or sopaipilla.

Slang terms
In Scots language the verb scon means to crush flat or beat with the open hand on a flat surface, and "scon-cap" or "scone-cap" refers to a man's broad flat cap or "bunnet". The term "scone-faced" means someone who is dour (sullen or grim) looking.

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