Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Lightly spray baking sheet, set aside.

Sift the flour, baking soda, salt, and sugar into a large mixing bowl. Make a well in the center of the dry mixture and add the buttermilk. Mix together by hand until just combined. Do not overwork or over mix the dough; it should be light and springy to the touch. It doesn’t have to be smooth, just mixed.

Turn the dough onto a well-floured surface and pat into a rectangle nine inches by six inches and about 3/4 inch thick. Cut dough into 1″ strips across, then cut the same in the other direction, making 54 small scones.

Arrange the dough squares in a rectangle on the prepared baking sheet in 9 rows of 6, just as they were when cut, so they are barely touching. Bake until the scones are very lightly golden brown (see note) 17 to 20 minutes, rotating the baking sheet halfway through the baking time.

Let the scones cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes, then remove from the sheet and gently separate them before serving.

Notes:

• The original recipe call for bread flour.
• The scones may not brown well. Do not overbake.