The Century-Old Pastry That Got Its Start At Washington's Iconic Fairgrounds
Every once in a while, a simple recipe is introduced in a humble setup, and it turns into an iconic dish with a cult following of millions. Just like the stardom of the first hot dog stand can be traced back to a modest stall at New York's Coney Island, the origins of a warm, flaky pastry, which has become a brand in itself, can be traced to a 110-year-old booth at one of the largest fairgrounds in the U.S., the Washington Puyallup Fair.
Fisher Scones were first introduced at the fair by the Fisher family, who was in the business of making Scottish biscuits to promote their flour. But as luck would have it, the scones stole the spotlight and were sold for a nickel each. Today, forty scones emerge from the oven every three minutes to supply the assembly line and meet the demand of devoted fans.
More than one million Fisher Scones were sold at the Puyallup Fair in 2017, the same year the scones were transformed into an ice cream flavor featuring a vanilla base swirled with scone chunks and raspberry purée. The enduring popularity of these scones, slathered with creamy butter and locally sourced raspberry jam, also inspired the creation of the Fisher Scone-baking contest, now a much-anticipated annual event at the Washington State Fair. The tiny booth corner where it all began still stands proudly under the grandstand at the Puyallup Fair in Washington, unshaken by the passage of time. The stardom of these confections almost feels destined.
A series of fortunate events
Though the admiration for the delectable Scottish scones — or hot biscuits, as they are popularly called — remained undiminished, in 1977, the Fisher family decided to pass on its legacy of both the flour mill and the scone recipe. (The Fishers were building a major media empire at the time, which included Seattle's KOMO-TV.) These creamy treats then found their way to Conifer Foods – the company that also produces Canterbury Naturals and Canterbury Organics – which upheld the scone tradition except that raisins were an important part of the original Fisher recipe until the '70s. There's less clarity on whether that call was made by the Fishers or Conifer Foods.
While many companies guard their recipes as closely held secrets, Conifer Foods took a different approach by introducing Fisher Scone Mix in 1989. The product was an instant success and encouraged the brand to expand its offerings, including additional scone variations and pancake mix.
Although Fisher Scones are no longer exclusive to fairs and can now even be found at some Costco locations, they have managed to preserve their nostalgic charm. The scones remain a signature snack at fairs and are enjoyed by visitors at more than 39 summer festivals across the Northwest. Sales of Fisher Scones were nearly evenly divided between retail and fair venues, at least till 2011, according to Mike Maher, the former CEO of Conifer Foods, who first began his journey with the company at a fair booth. But even today, the line for these iconic scones is the longest at the Puyallup Fair.