Irish soda bread scones from Alice’s Kitchen in Sea Bright. (Photo by Susan Ericson. Click to enlarge)

By SUSAN ERICSON

When 23-year-old Shauna Harten gets a craving, it’s likely to be for Irish soda bread scones. And not just scones like those her mother used to make, but the genuine article.

When the Sea Bright resident was studying hospitality at Florida International University, she’d have her mom ship them down to her, she tells PieHole.

“My roommates really liked them, too,” she said. “They looked forward to the delivery almost as much as I did.”
Shauna Harten craves the Irish soda bread scones at her mother’s luncheonette in Sea Bright. (Photo by Susan Ericson. Click to enlarge)

Her mom is Alice Gaffney, Sea Bright resident and owner of Alice’s Kitchen on Ocean Avenue.

“We’re currently short-staffed,” Harten says while placing a tray of scones, fresh from the oven, on the counter. “I went to school for this, so it’s no surprise that I’m filling in here right now. I cook on Tuesdays too.”

Getting a whiff of still warm raisin-sweet scones, PieHole also felt a tug of nostalgia. Usually available elsewhere only around Saint Patrick’s Day, the scones and full-size loaves of bread are a year-round menu staple here.

A delicious sentimental attachment, or maybe a way to alleviate homesickness, a warm scone slathered with creamy butter satisfies this week’s craving.

Alice’s Kitchen is open from 6:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. Monday through Friday, with shorter hours on the weekend. Irish soda bread scones will set you back $2.95 each.

Do you have a Craving? Is it a hankering for a big meal or a snack attack that hits suddenly? Tell us how you satisfy it in a comment, or email us at piehole@redbankgreen.com.