Muffin Recipes

Researching the history of bread-related products is difficult because bread is THE universal food. Ancient peoples of all places discovered the combination of *cooked* (baked, fried, steamed, boiled, sun-dried) ground grain and water created simple, inexpensive, nourishing food. Muffins, cakes, crackers, biscuits, cookies, sticky buns & Twinkies are not inventions. They are evolutions. All of these are variations on the theme of what happens when flour & water mix with human ingenuity, technological advancement, local ingredients, immediate need and cultural expectations.

"Muffin...a term connected with moufflet, an old French word applied to bread, meaning soft...The word muffin first appeared in print in the early 18th century, and recipes began to be published in the middle of the 18th century. There has always been some confusion between muffins, crumpets, and pikelets, both in recipes and in name. Muffin' usually meant a bread like product (sometimes simply made from whatever bread dough was available), as opposed to the more pancake-like crumpets...Muffins were most popular during the 19th century, when muffin men traversed the town streets at teatime, ringing their bells. In the 1840s the muffin-man's bell was prohibited by Act of Parliament because many people objected to it, but the prohibition was ineffective..."

The English muffin has come a long way - culturally and geographically. Originally eaten by the "downstairs" servants in England's Victorian society, the English muffin surfaced and rose to prominence in Great Britain when members of all classes of society became aware of its goodness. The family baker made English muffins from leftover bread and biscuit dough scraps and mashed potatoes. He fried the batter on a hot griddle, creating light, crusty muffins for the servants. Once members of the "upstairs" family tasted these rich muffins, they began to request them for themselves - especially during teatime.

As a result of the English muffin becoming the "most fancied" bread on the isle, English muffin factories sprang up all over England. Muffin men could be heard in the streets selling their muffins from wooden trays slung around their necks. For teatime in private homes and clubs, the English muffins would be split and toasted over an open fire and served in a covered sterling dish alongside tea. The prominence of the muffin men in English society was evident when "Oh, do you know the muffin man" became a popular children's nursery rhyme. The popularity of the English muffin reached its zenith in Great Britain during the years preceding World War I.

Authentic English Muffins

This recipe makes for impressive, crusty, cornmeal-coated English muffins. The interiors are at once moist and holey, characteristically rough textured and hearty. A combination of unbleached bread flour (available at bulk food stores) together with some white whole-wheat flour (or regular whole wheat). A smack of butter and honey round out the taste. Don't overlook these because they use a starter. It's child's play. Sure, there are easier ways to make English muffins but they taste like you took the easy way out. These are exceptional. A large cast iron pan makes for a perfect baking surface.

About American muffins
American muffins today are quite distinguishable from their English counterparts. This was not always so. An examination of American muffin recipes printed in 19th and 20th century cookbooks reveals some interesting culinary history. Early American muffin recipes were quite similar (if not exact copies) of English muffins. Given the history of our country this is not surprising. These same cookbooks also contain recipes for teacakes' and other cakes to be baked in small pans, which read more like the cakey muffins we know today in America. Teacakes often called for spices, nuts and dried fruits (currants, dates, etc.). They were sweeter and were more likely to be baked than griddled.