Mad for Muffins

October 15, 2014

After sharing muffin-making fundamentals, including how to measure ingredients and mix batters, food writer and James Beard Hall of Fame inductee Anderson (From a Southern Oven) presents 70 recipes that skew more savory than sweet. A firm believer that muffins should not be cupcakes, the author fills hers with substantial and sometimes unusual ingredients such as country ham, hard-cooked eggs, rye flour, and freeze-dried corn powder. Readers who'd like muffins on their table every day will appreciate that Anderson's recipes (e.g., butternut-pine nut muffins, honeyed whole-wheat English muffins, falafel muffin tops) are lighter and more nutrient-dense than average. They're also, as Anderson points out, excellent entry points for young cooks learning to bake. VERDICT Need a break from bakery and coffee shop-style muffins? Anderson's collection offers new variations on a traditional treat.

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