Let the Game of Scones begin!!  The destiny is more or less the same for all contestants, down into the tummy, and washed down by either tea or coffee.  Lol.You know how some people say they are a cake person, or donut person?  Well, I am a scone person (ice cream person, too, if you have been following my posts).  My obsession with buttery scones dates WAY back to my childhood.  If a bakery sells scones, I will try them even if I already have a handful of pastries in my bag.
The ideal scone texture is tender, moist and crumbly on the inside and crusty on the outside.  then there’s the flavor, which has to be balanced just right so it’s not too buttery nor too sweet.  It’s easy to make an average scone, but to achieve ultimate supremacy, there is no one who does it better than Arizmendi bakery (part of Cheese board collective) in the Sunset District. Their scones meet all the criteria above, and they don’t just do one kind well, they actually have FOUR that are outstanding (this is extremely difficult even for the best bakeries).
If I had to pick a favorite among the four, it has to be the cherry-corn scone.  It’s crumbly and has a nutty texture from the coarse cornmeal.  The tartness of the dried cherries balances perfectly with the sweetness of the corn.  Once you try one, you will be eternally hooked.  Close in the race is the Scone of the Day.  To me, the best flavor has to be the strawberry scone which is available during spring and summer seasons.  The fresh strawberry fragrance will permeate your paper brown bag and before you know it, you are perfumed in a mist of strawberri-licious-ness.Arizmendi also has oat scones and currant scones each offering a different texture.  I am a big fan of the oat scones because they are chewier and has a molasses flavor.

So are you ready for scones now?  If you didn’t have a good experience, Arizmendi will set it right.  Don’t be overwhelmed when you head inside.  Take your time and peruse from top shelf down.  If you are not sure which one, just put it in your bag.  Nothing at Arizmendi will disappoint.  Just be sure to store your goodies in airtight containers once you are home to keep its freshness, that is if they make it home.

I didn’t even get to mention their incredible pizza! Well, Arizmendi’s pizza deserves a full post to do it justice.  Their other breads are excellent, too (again, this is not easy, to be good at both bread and pastries).  Here is a full list of their baked goods.

Arizmendi Bakery (name after a Basque labor organizer)

Location(s):

1331 9th Avenue between Irving and Judah St.
San Francisco, CA 94122
415.566.3117

Sister Cooperatives here

Hours:

Tuesday to Friday
7:00am – 7:00pm
Saturday to Sunday
7:30am – 6:00pm
Closed Monday

Must try: Corn-Cherry Scone, Scone of the Day (especially if it’s strawberry or raspberry),  Pizza of the Day, Pecan roll for the sweet tooth

Tip:

• If there isn’t any more left on the shelf, just ask at the front cashier, they usually have more in the back.
• Freshly baked pizza starts at 11am (only type of pizza per day, schedule here)
• $10 minimum to use credit card
• Stumptown coffee sold here

What’s your favorite type of scone?  Any flavors you like?

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