1 00:00:07,880 --> 00:00:10,319 Speaker 1: Hello, and welcome to Savor production of I Heart Radio. 2 00:00:10,360 --> 00:00:13,480 Speaker 1: I'm Annie Reese and I'm Lauren Vogelbaum, and today we're 3 00:00:13,480 --> 00:00:20,640 Speaker 1: talking about muffins. Yes, muffins surprisingly fun. A fun episode 4 00:00:21,120 --> 00:00:23,560 Speaker 1: it is, oh and not just because muffin is such 5 00:00:23,600 --> 00:00:28,040 Speaker 1: a wonderfully silly sounding word. It really is. Um. And 6 00:00:28,120 --> 00:00:33,000 Speaker 1: this is sort of inspired by I guess everyone's making 7 00:00:33,080 --> 00:00:37,560 Speaker 1: banana bread right now. I haven't seen this, but I 8 00:00:37,600 --> 00:00:40,200 Speaker 1: hear the jokes about how a lot of people's social 9 00:00:40,360 --> 00:00:43,760 Speaker 1: media feeds it's just pictures of banana bread. And to me, 10 00:00:43,840 --> 00:00:47,280 Speaker 1: it totally makes sense why you would be doing that. Um, 11 00:00:47,760 --> 00:00:50,199 Speaker 1: you got bananas around and they're getting a little a 12 00:00:50,240 --> 00:00:54,000 Speaker 1: little ripe. Um, but I guess an extra time on 13 00:00:54,040 --> 00:00:57,040 Speaker 1: your hands right now so you notice them going ripe 14 00:00:57,040 --> 00:01:00,960 Speaker 1: and don't just notice them like three days later, and welp, welp, 15 00:01:01,080 --> 00:01:04,280 Speaker 1: that would have been good banana bread exactly. I know 16 00:01:04,880 --> 00:01:11,959 Speaker 1: Christie Teagan made some minute the Instagram sensation. I love 17 00:01:12,040 --> 00:01:17,440 Speaker 1: banana bread. Um. She would make it like pretty rarely, 18 00:01:17,720 --> 00:01:20,240 Speaker 1: so it was really exciting. It was a really exciting thing. 19 00:01:21,400 --> 00:01:23,520 Speaker 1: I don't have any I don't have any bananas, but 20 00:01:23,760 --> 00:01:26,640 Speaker 1: if I encounter some I might make some bana bread. 21 00:01:29,319 --> 00:01:32,280 Speaker 1: Uh yeah, I feel I feel bad buying bananas and 22 00:01:32,360 --> 00:01:34,959 Speaker 1: you can see our banana episode for more on that. 23 00:01:35,400 --> 00:01:38,400 Speaker 1: But you can make a quick bread with I mean 24 00:01:38,480 --> 00:01:42,080 Speaker 1: basically any kind of ripe fruit, very similar to I 25 00:01:42,120 --> 00:01:45,120 Speaker 1: really like a pair bread. You get some overripe pears, 26 00:01:45,200 --> 00:01:48,240 Speaker 1: because pairs also have that thing where you know, like 27 00:01:48,280 --> 00:01:52,000 Speaker 1: they go so overripe so quickly. Um, So it's great 28 00:01:52,040 --> 00:01:54,800 Speaker 1: for that. But yeah, I had a big banana bread 29 00:01:54,880 --> 00:01:58,600 Speaker 1: phase a few years back, and I I have to 30 00:01:58,600 --> 00:02:02,640 Speaker 1: say I can make an excellent one. Oh don't don't 31 00:02:02,720 --> 00:02:07,120 Speaker 1: tap me with that, Lauren, Oh my gosh. I like 32 00:02:07,200 --> 00:02:11,000 Speaker 1: to think that you could like chart out your life 33 00:02:11,040 --> 00:02:17,040 Speaker 1: like an epochs like the banana bread's age totally crowd age. 34 00:02:17,600 --> 00:02:20,160 Speaker 1: Yeah yeah, it's not like my blue period. It's like 35 00:02:20,160 --> 00:02:26,280 Speaker 1: my banana bread period. I love it. Um And my 36 00:02:26,320 --> 00:02:31,880 Speaker 1: mom did make banana bread muffins, um yeah, which I 37 00:02:31,919 --> 00:02:35,320 Speaker 1: liked because there's something about it just being sort of contained, 38 00:02:36,800 --> 00:02:40,160 Speaker 1: nice little bite, just ready for you really have single 39 00:02:40,200 --> 00:02:46,040 Speaker 1: serving is nice. Yeah, And I don't really have muffins 40 00:02:46,120 --> 00:02:48,680 Speaker 1: too much anymore. When I was a kid, I loved 41 00:02:48,680 --> 00:02:52,920 Speaker 1: blueberry muffins and when I first started this job as 42 00:02:52,960 --> 00:02:55,519 Speaker 1: an intern, I would occasionally bring in stuff from home 43 00:02:55,560 --> 00:02:57,200 Speaker 1: because I lived by myself and I don't want to 44 00:02:57,200 --> 00:03:01,120 Speaker 1: eat like muffins an entire rite shirt, right, So I 45 00:03:01,240 --> 00:03:04,959 Speaker 1: have this chocolate chip muffin recipe. It is so good. 46 00:03:05,000 --> 00:03:09,239 Speaker 1: It is the best. It involves sour cream. Oh yeah, 47 00:03:09,400 --> 00:03:12,920 Speaker 1: I made it once, and then I remember, like a 48 00:03:12,960 --> 00:03:18,000 Speaker 1: week later, Tyler, friend and coworker of ours, kind of 49 00:03:18,200 --> 00:03:25,440 Speaker 1: shyly asked if I could uncle something more. Yes. Absolutely, yes, 50 00:03:26,280 --> 00:03:30,240 Speaker 1: that's very sweet. Yes, um, And I want to thank 51 00:03:30,280 --> 00:03:35,880 Speaker 1: this episode so much for reminding me about the apple muffin. 52 00:03:36,840 --> 00:03:41,480 Speaker 1: The apple muffin, What about the apple muffins? Oh my god. 53 00:03:41,800 --> 00:03:44,360 Speaker 1: So this is one of my favorite things ever. I 54 00:03:44,480 --> 00:03:48,320 Speaker 1: have like folder of like nuclear option videos of I'm 55 00:03:48,360 --> 00:03:50,120 Speaker 1: having a bad day, this video will cheer me up. 56 00:03:50,680 --> 00:03:54,680 Speaker 1: This is a video from a legislative debate out of 57 00:03:54,720 --> 00:03:59,920 Speaker 1: New York States government about it was actually about yogurt 58 00:04:00,120 --> 00:04:03,640 Speaker 1: and making yogurt the state sack. But in it they 59 00:04:03,800 --> 00:04:06,880 Speaker 1: they actually getting this huge debate about it, and the 60 00:04:06,920 --> 00:04:09,800 Speaker 1: apple muffin comes up because the apple muffin is New 61 00:04:09,880 --> 00:04:13,800 Speaker 1: York state muffin. Oh okay, yakay, sure, that. I mean, 62 00:04:13,840 --> 00:04:17,000 Speaker 1: that makes sense New York, the big Apple Apple muffins. Yes, 63 00:04:17,160 --> 00:04:19,280 Speaker 1: I think since nineteen seven, I've done a lot of 64 00:04:19,279 --> 00:04:21,240 Speaker 1: research into this because I love this clip so much 65 00:04:22,160 --> 00:04:26,200 Speaker 1: and that they are arguing about what constitutes a snack, 66 00:04:26,560 --> 00:04:29,880 Speaker 1: well what about gluten? Like they get really into it, 67 00:04:30,160 --> 00:04:32,080 Speaker 1: and the guy who's proposing it it was like the 68 00:04:32,120 --> 00:04:34,360 Speaker 1: idea of a bunch of fourth graders, you know. So, 69 00:04:35,120 --> 00:04:37,520 Speaker 1: but he's up there fighting for the yogurt and he 70 00:04:37,600 --> 00:04:39,760 Speaker 1: brings up he brings up the apple muffin and he 71 00:04:39,839 --> 00:04:46,760 Speaker 1: starts for laughing and he just can't get through so funny. 72 00:04:46,760 --> 00:04:49,839 Speaker 1: Oh that is delightful. His that's no, I'm I'm super 73 00:04:49,839 --> 00:04:52,440 Speaker 1: into that. That sounds great. Yes, we'll definitely have to 74 00:04:52,440 --> 00:04:55,600 Speaker 1: watch that clip after this, and I highly recommend any listeners. 75 00:04:55,960 --> 00:04:58,279 Speaker 1: It was on The Daily Show, That's where I encountered it, 76 00:04:58,320 --> 00:05:04,680 Speaker 1: but you can find it. It's it lives online forever. Um. Well, 77 00:05:04,920 --> 00:05:09,599 Speaker 1: I guess speaking of legislation, Um, apparently February is National 78 00:05:09,680 --> 00:05:16,960 Speaker 1: Muffin Day February. M hmm, okay, don't know why, Sure, sure, sure, 79 00:05:17,440 --> 00:05:20,839 Speaker 1: And then you can see our our cupcake episode for 80 00:05:21,680 --> 00:05:23,200 Speaker 1: because I feel like here in the United states, there 81 00:05:23,240 --> 00:05:28,800 Speaker 1: are specially cupcakes without frosting, and we'll talk more about 82 00:05:28,839 --> 00:05:33,240 Speaker 1: that in a minute. And also topping the muffin to 83 00:05:33,360 --> 00:05:37,719 Speaker 1: you the Signfeld episode. Thanks also to this for reminding 84 00:05:37,760 --> 00:05:41,000 Speaker 1: me of that, which is where Elaine gets in this 85 00:05:41,120 --> 00:05:44,320 Speaker 1: business where she's just just selling the muffin tops, just 86 00:05:44,440 --> 00:05:47,480 Speaker 1: the tops, right. Yeah, Yeah, we're going to talk more 87 00:05:47,480 --> 00:05:51,040 Speaker 1: about that as well later on. Yes, you got a 88 00:05:51,040 --> 00:05:52,839 Speaker 1: lot of a lot to look for too. But in 89 00:05:52,880 --> 00:06:00,240 Speaker 1: the meantime, okay, let's get to our question. Muffins. What 90 00:06:00,400 --> 00:06:04,720 Speaker 1: are they? Well? Um, as with so many foods that 91 00:06:04,760 --> 00:06:08,120 Speaker 1: we talk about, muffin can mean a lot of things, 92 00:06:08,200 --> 00:06:12,039 Speaker 1: but generally what humans mean English speaking humans at any rate, 93 00:06:12,040 --> 00:06:15,200 Speaker 1: by by the word muffin, is a sweetened quick bread 94 00:06:15,400 --> 00:06:17,839 Speaker 1: baked in a single serving unit about the size of 95 00:06:17,839 --> 00:06:22,080 Speaker 1: a fist, in specialized muffin cups or or muffin tins. 96 00:06:22,160 --> 00:06:26,280 Speaker 1: And I will note here that fists and muffins may 97 00:06:26,320 --> 00:06:31,200 Speaker 1: both vary pretty widely in size, so fist sized, your 98 00:06:31,200 --> 00:06:34,040 Speaker 1: mileage may vary. Um, But at any rate, uh, quick 99 00:06:34,080 --> 00:06:36,919 Speaker 1: bread is a key term here, um, And that's a 100 00:06:37,000 --> 00:06:39,719 Speaker 1: that's a category of baked goods that are chemically leavened, 101 00:06:39,800 --> 00:06:42,040 Speaker 1: so you don't have to muss around with yeast, and 102 00:06:42,160 --> 00:06:45,200 Speaker 1: you can go from like raw ingredients to hot and 103 00:06:45,200 --> 00:06:47,599 Speaker 1: tasty food in like less than half an hour. And 104 00:06:47,640 --> 00:06:49,480 Speaker 1: you don't even have to to whip the heck out 105 00:06:49,520 --> 00:06:52,039 Speaker 1: of eggs or or butter and sugar in order to 106 00:06:52,120 --> 00:06:55,480 Speaker 1: do it. Which whipping the heck out of eggs or 107 00:06:55,520 --> 00:06:58,320 Speaker 1: butter and sugar, those are two ways of creating high 108 00:06:58,400 --> 00:07:02,520 Speaker 1: rising structure within other baked goods. Many breads use yeast, 109 00:07:02,720 --> 00:07:05,360 Speaker 1: many cakes use the eggs and or creamed butter and 110 00:07:05,400 --> 00:07:08,440 Speaker 1: sugar combination. At any rate, you don't have to do 111 00:07:08,760 --> 00:07:13,560 Speaker 1: any of that for a quick bread huzzah. We talked 112 00:07:13,600 --> 00:07:16,640 Speaker 1: a bit about chemical leveners in our pancakes episode, and 113 00:07:17,200 --> 00:07:20,360 Speaker 1: these are things what produce bubbles of gas when exposed 114 00:07:20,400 --> 00:07:24,760 Speaker 1: to either something acidic or to heat. Baking soda. Sodium 115 00:07:24,800 --> 00:07:27,440 Speaker 1: bicarbonate is one. It's it's a compound that reacts with 116 00:07:27,480 --> 00:07:30,800 Speaker 1: acids to produce carbon dioxide, and a cream of tartar 117 00:07:30,920 --> 00:07:35,040 Speaker 1: produces carbon dioxide bubbles when heated, and baking powder is 118 00:07:35,080 --> 00:07:37,640 Speaker 1: a combination of baking soda and cream of tartar, so 119 00:07:37,640 --> 00:07:40,320 Speaker 1: it's double acting. You might have seen that word on 120 00:07:40,600 --> 00:07:45,160 Speaker 1: baking powder packaging. Um. So making quick breads is simple 121 00:07:45,440 --> 00:07:47,720 Speaker 1: with the use of chemical leveners because you just mix 122 00:07:47,800 --> 00:07:50,360 Speaker 1: your your your dry ingredients in one bowl, your flour, 123 00:07:50,440 --> 00:07:53,360 Speaker 1: your leveners, any mixings you're using, and your your wet 124 00:07:53,440 --> 00:07:56,240 Speaker 1: ingredients in another bowl. Your your milk, your oil or 125 00:07:56,280 --> 00:07:59,880 Speaker 1: melted butter, and sugar. I know sugar is dry, it's 126 00:08:00,040 --> 00:08:02,760 Speaker 1: it's weird, it's an amorphous solid. Just just roll with 127 00:08:02,800 --> 00:08:05,560 Speaker 1: it being in the wet category. Um. And then you 128 00:08:05,560 --> 00:08:07,840 Speaker 1: stir the wet and the dry together until they're just 129 00:08:07,920 --> 00:08:10,720 Speaker 1: barely combined, and then toss the batter in the oven. 130 00:08:11,480 --> 00:08:13,200 Speaker 1: I mean you put it in a pan of your 131 00:08:13,280 --> 00:08:15,800 Speaker 1: choosing first. I would I wouldn't just like throw it 132 00:08:15,840 --> 00:08:20,840 Speaker 1: in there. Jackson Pollock No, um, but yeah, when you're 133 00:08:20,880 --> 00:08:24,400 Speaker 1: doing this combination, you don't want to overstir or let 134 00:08:24,400 --> 00:08:27,280 Speaker 1: it sit very long. Once the wet and dryer combined, 135 00:08:27,480 --> 00:08:29,720 Speaker 1: like a little stirring in time will let the baking 136 00:08:29,760 --> 00:08:33,560 Speaker 1: soda and whatever acid is in the recipe go to 137 00:08:33,600 --> 00:08:36,840 Speaker 1: work creating bubbles. But too much stirring your time and 138 00:08:36,880 --> 00:08:41,360 Speaker 1: those bubbles will deflate, um and give you a sunken muffin. 139 00:08:41,679 --> 00:08:47,439 Speaker 1: Nobody I've done that before. Yeah yeah, um that this 140 00:08:47,520 --> 00:08:51,120 Speaker 1: method of batter creation um is named for muffins. It's 141 00:08:51,120 --> 00:08:57,280 Speaker 1: the muffin method, I know. And uh yeah, doing this 142 00:08:57,360 --> 00:09:00,960 Speaker 1: correctly that the result will be a moy tender baked 143 00:09:00,960 --> 00:09:04,200 Speaker 1: good that rose just so fast and so effectively that 144 00:09:04,280 --> 00:09:06,400 Speaker 1: it may have spilled out over the top of its 145 00:09:06,400 --> 00:09:11,160 Speaker 1: container in the oven, creating a pretty domed top. Yeah yeah, 146 00:09:11,679 --> 00:09:16,400 Speaker 1: we used to call them sombrero hat muffins. Sombrero hat muffins. 147 00:09:17,080 --> 00:09:22,040 Speaker 1: That's really weird but sweet. Why. I think I made 148 00:09:22,040 --> 00:09:23,439 Speaker 1: it up when I was a kid because they looked 149 00:09:23,480 --> 00:09:30,720 Speaker 1: to me, they looked like sombrero heads. Okay, yeah, oh gosh, 150 00:09:30,960 --> 00:09:36,720 Speaker 1: um like like that terminology. Many muffin flavors are sweet, uh, 151 00:09:37,960 --> 00:09:41,400 Speaker 1: either a dried or fresh fruit involved, um, nuts, chocolate 152 00:09:41,440 --> 00:09:44,040 Speaker 1: stuff like that added in. But muffins can be savory 153 00:09:44,080 --> 00:09:46,360 Speaker 1: as well, with cheese or herbs or hot peppers or 154 00:09:46,400 --> 00:09:50,760 Speaker 1: like onions and garlic. Wheat flour or similarly, behaving of 155 00:09:50,880 --> 00:09:54,000 Speaker 1: flowers are common, but corn meal can also be used 156 00:09:54,000 --> 00:09:56,520 Speaker 1: where combination um. Most corn breads are, by the way, 157 00:09:56,559 --> 00:10:02,400 Speaker 1: also quick breads. English muffins, meanwhile, are another thing. Entirely. Um. 158 00:10:02,440 --> 00:10:06,880 Speaker 1: Those are savory yeast raised flatbreads that are cooked UM 159 00:10:06,880 --> 00:10:09,080 Speaker 1: in a in a stovetop pan or on a griddle 160 00:10:09,559 --> 00:10:12,760 Speaker 1: using UM using a tall sided metal ring to keep 161 00:10:12,800 --> 00:10:15,840 Speaker 1: the dough in place. That the ring like forces the 162 00:10:15,840 --> 00:10:18,200 Speaker 1: dough to rise as it cooks instead of spreading out 163 00:10:18,320 --> 00:10:22,000 Speaker 1: like a pancake wood. Um. That's helping create structure within 164 00:10:22,440 --> 00:10:27,839 Speaker 1: the setting dough, like those nooks and crannies. Right. So yeah. Yeah. Also, 165 00:10:27,920 --> 00:10:30,360 Speaker 1: the dusting of corn meal that often comes on the 166 00:10:30,400 --> 00:10:34,160 Speaker 1: outside of English muffins helps like mitigate the direct heat 167 00:10:34,520 --> 00:10:37,320 Speaker 1: of the cooking surface um and prevents too crusty of 168 00:10:37,320 --> 00:10:45,840 Speaker 1: a crust from forming. Yeah. Well here's the frightening question. Yeah, 169 00:10:45,840 --> 00:10:50,160 Speaker 1: but about the nutrition. Uh, look, y'all muffins are out 170 00:10:50,160 --> 00:10:54,719 Speaker 1: of control um, like like store bought muffins, like oversized, 171 00:10:55,200 --> 00:10:59,280 Speaker 1: super sweet, wildly rich. Um. They can run you a 172 00:10:59,400 --> 00:11:03,880 Speaker 1: quarter of your daily caloric intake and all or more 173 00:11:04,120 --> 00:11:07,439 Speaker 1: of your recommended intake of sugar with very little protein 174 00:11:07,480 --> 00:11:09,839 Speaker 1: on the balance. UM. And I know that they can 175 00:11:09,840 --> 00:11:12,600 Speaker 1: seem like a sensible snack or like grab and go 176 00:11:12,679 --> 00:11:16,320 Speaker 1: breakfast sort of situation, but to be honest, you're usually 177 00:11:16,320 --> 00:11:19,479 Speaker 1: better off just getting a donut at that rate, um, 178 00:11:19,520 --> 00:11:22,120 Speaker 1: because a donut will probably have a little bit more 179 00:11:22,160 --> 00:11:26,160 Speaker 1: fat and probably way less sugar. Um, so it'll fill 180 00:11:26,240 --> 00:11:29,080 Speaker 1: you up and keep you going longer than a muffin. 181 00:11:30,240 --> 00:11:35,800 Speaker 1: I remember very vividly I was stuck in LaGuardia, as 182 00:11:36,280 --> 00:11:39,240 Speaker 1: often happens in LaGuardia back when we had to travel, 183 00:11:39,960 --> 00:11:45,200 Speaker 1: oh yep, and I was just desperately looking around for 184 00:11:45,240 --> 00:11:47,280 Speaker 1: something to eat. And so I got in this huge 185 00:11:47,360 --> 00:11:50,719 Speaker 1: line for Dunkin Donuts and I got all the way 186 00:11:50,720 --> 00:11:53,560 Speaker 1: to the front, and then I saw the muffin I 187 00:11:53,600 --> 00:11:56,760 Speaker 1: had wanted. I was finally able to read the calorie count, 188 00:11:57,200 --> 00:11:58,760 Speaker 1: and I got up to the register and she said, 189 00:11:58,800 --> 00:12:04,960 Speaker 1: what we have? And I said never mind. It was 190 00:12:05,080 --> 00:12:08,839 Speaker 1: like outrageous. I knew it was gonna be high, but whoa. 191 00:12:09,200 --> 00:12:12,200 Speaker 1: But you were just like, nope, nope, because it wasn't 192 00:12:12,200 --> 00:12:16,960 Speaker 1: even that big. And I thought, oh, sure, no, yeah, no, 193 00:12:17,120 --> 00:12:20,040 Speaker 1: that stuff it gets wild. Yeah, I know it's a 194 00:12:20,080 --> 00:12:22,840 Speaker 1: gag in Max Smart. I haven't seen that movie no 195 00:12:22,880 --> 00:12:24,599 Speaker 1: long time, but I remember there was a muffin a 196 00:12:24,679 --> 00:12:28,560 Speaker 1: joke about how how how many galleries surprisingly are in 197 00:12:28,720 --> 00:12:32,240 Speaker 1: even the smallest ones, And then here's this quote that 198 00:12:32,280 --> 00:12:35,240 Speaker 1: I love from Jeremy Glass over at thrill List. With 199 00:12:35,280 --> 00:12:38,040 Speaker 1: an average muffin packing more than four calories and a 200 00:12:38,160 --> 00:12:41,760 Speaker 1: mind melting forty of sugar and one serving, eating a 201 00:12:41,840 --> 00:12:44,520 Speaker 1: muffin for breakfast is exactly the same as taking out 202 00:12:44,520 --> 00:12:47,120 Speaker 1: your heart, putting it on a serving dish, and then 203 00:12:47,160 --> 00:12:50,079 Speaker 1: covering your heart with killer bees whose own hearts are 204 00:12:50,120 --> 00:12:53,160 Speaker 1: filled with spite. The muffin as a whole isn't a 205 00:12:53,200 --> 00:12:56,080 Speaker 1: bad thing. Convenient, delicious, easy to snack on when you're 206 00:12:56,160 --> 00:12:58,600 Speaker 1: rushing for the train. But let's be honest about it, 207 00:12:58,600 --> 00:13:01,640 Speaker 1: it's nothing more than a frosting cupcake mass cureating as 208 00:13:01,679 --> 00:13:06,839 Speaker 1: a sensible adult breakfast choice, I love killer bees in 209 00:13:06,880 --> 00:13:11,360 Speaker 1: their hearts. Right. Oh gosh, that's a that's a gorgeous 210 00:13:11,400 --> 00:13:14,560 Speaker 1: quote from from Jeremy. He also does some food writing 211 00:13:14,640 --> 00:13:18,160 Speaker 1: over at a house stuff works dot com. So uh so, good, 212 00:13:18,640 --> 00:13:23,880 Speaker 1: good good writer, good human um And yeah, I mean, 213 00:13:23,920 --> 00:13:26,640 Speaker 1: you know, of course, if you if you make muffins 214 00:13:26,640 --> 00:13:29,559 Speaker 1: at home like you can, you can make all kinds 215 00:13:29,559 --> 00:13:32,400 Speaker 1: of substitutions and additions to get more protein and less 216 00:13:32,400 --> 00:13:35,040 Speaker 1: sugar in their um. You know, yogurt or apple sauce 217 00:13:35,040 --> 00:13:37,599 Speaker 1: and places some of the oil whole wheat flour or 218 00:13:37,760 --> 00:13:40,400 Speaker 1: nut flour, and places some of the white flour added 219 00:13:40,440 --> 00:13:42,920 Speaker 1: seeds or nuts or fresh fruit, just a little bit 220 00:13:42,960 --> 00:13:49,400 Speaker 1: less sugar in general. U it's yeah, yeah, I mean 221 00:13:50,000 --> 00:13:53,559 Speaker 1: it's a treat. Enjoy it. If you have that muffin craving. 222 00:13:53,679 --> 00:13:56,840 Speaker 1: I encourage you to indulge it because it's important to 223 00:13:57,200 --> 00:14:00,800 Speaker 1: indulge cravings because it's nice. Um. But you know, just 224 00:14:01,280 --> 00:14:05,600 Speaker 1: be be aware of serving sizes. I know, I used 225 00:14:05,640 --> 00:14:11,880 Speaker 1: to make a pretty good zucchini carrot apple. It doesn't 226 00:14:11,920 --> 00:14:16,760 Speaker 1: sound very good, but actually that's great. Yeah. So yeah, 227 00:14:16,920 --> 00:14:19,000 Speaker 1: you can expand your muffin horizons. I don't think I 228 00:14:19,040 --> 00:14:23,560 Speaker 1: ever would have considered that as a muffin until I 229 00:14:23,640 --> 00:14:26,040 Speaker 1: was like, well, zucchini bread is a thing. Why isn't 230 00:14:26,080 --> 00:14:29,560 Speaker 1: there zucchini muffin? And there you go. Oh yeah, yeah. 231 00:14:29,760 --> 00:14:33,840 Speaker 1: The rest is history. We do have some numbers for you. 232 00:14:34,440 --> 00:14:38,239 Speaker 1: The number one selling brand of English muffins is Thomas's 233 00:14:38,240 --> 00:14:41,080 Speaker 1: English Muffins. That probably is not a surprise, accounting for 234 00:14:41,120 --> 00:14:45,320 Speaker 1: an annual five hundred million dollars according to the New 235 00:14:45,400 --> 00:14:51,080 Speaker 1: York Times and estimated seven people. No. The recipe for 236 00:14:51,200 --> 00:14:55,240 Speaker 1: these English muffins. One of them, Chris Botcella, ended up 237 00:14:55,320 --> 00:14:58,800 Speaker 1: in court after he left the company for rival Hostess 238 00:14:58,840 --> 00:15:02,480 Speaker 1: Brands in twenty ten. Oh dang, oh yeah, this was 239 00:15:02,560 --> 00:15:05,560 Speaker 1: such a great read. The court documents refer to the 240 00:15:05,640 --> 00:15:09,040 Speaker 1: recipe books as code books, and the d and the 241 00:15:09,200 --> 00:15:12,120 Speaker 1: detail how the recipe was split into several pieces to 242 00:15:12,240 --> 00:15:17,480 Speaker 1: prevent it from leaking out. Wow, they wore crux to 243 00:15:17,480 --> 00:15:27,120 Speaker 1: the recipe. They totally did, apparently to industry consultants spent 244 00:15:27,400 --> 00:15:31,160 Speaker 1: years attempting to nail down this recipe, but found they 245 00:15:31,160 --> 00:15:35,600 Speaker 1: could not consistently produce the quote nooks and crannies, so 246 00:15:36,480 --> 00:15:40,440 Speaker 1: very fun English muffin intrigue. Yeah. Yeah, and there there 247 00:15:40,600 --> 00:15:42,800 Speaker 1: is a lot written. I mean, like you can pretty 248 00:15:42,840 --> 00:15:47,000 Speaker 1: easily find a good, like scientific guide to how to 249 00:15:47,160 --> 00:15:52,480 Speaker 1: make regular muffins like tasty and and good and how 250 00:15:52,520 --> 00:15:55,720 Speaker 1: that works. Um, but but there is like it's a 251 00:15:55,760 --> 00:15:59,119 Speaker 1: lot more complicated when you get into the English muffin situation. 252 00:15:59,440 --> 00:16:02,720 Speaker 1: So now I'm taking it as like a baking challenge. 253 00:16:02,840 --> 00:16:06,240 Speaker 1: I don't particularly like English muffins. I mean, I mean, 254 00:16:06,280 --> 00:16:09,560 Speaker 1: I don't hate them like they're shine, but I'm like, 255 00:16:09,600 --> 00:16:12,160 Speaker 1: at that point, there's a lot of other bread products 256 00:16:12,200 --> 00:16:16,400 Speaker 1: I would rather be consuming UM. But but I'm like 257 00:16:16,480 --> 00:16:21,560 Speaker 1: that the challenge. Oh I need some baking rings. I 258 00:16:21,600 --> 00:16:27,120 Speaker 1: actually have nose. Yeah okay, well, well maybe with our 259 00:16:27,160 --> 00:16:33,200 Speaker 1: powers combined, maybe maybe. Um. In terms of non English muffins, 260 00:16:33,880 --> 00:16:39,000 Speaker 1: as of packaged muffins made up about six of the 261 00:16:39,040 --> 00:16:43,440 Speaker 1: global muffins market, as opposed to m artisanal or store 262 00:16:43,480 --> 00:16:48,200 Speaker 1: baked muffins. Yeah, yeah, yes, there is a muffins market. Yes. 263 00:16:48,360 --> 00:16:51,960 Speaker 1: People in the food research industry referred to it as such. 264 00:16:52,560 --> 00:16:58,800 Speaker 1: I love that, delightful and furthermore as um. The muffins 265 00:16:58,840 --> 00:17:02,440 Speaker 1: market is estimated to be worth seven point eight billion 266 00:17:02,480 --> 00:17:07,000 Speaker 1: dollars worldwide. Wow, and it's it's on the rise, like 267 00:17:07,040 --> 00:17:11,520 Speaker 1: it's predicted to reach nine point three billion dollars. Wow. 268 00:17:13,040 --> 00:17:17,679 Speaker 1: I don't and I don't know, Like I guess outside 269 00:17:17,680 --> 00:17:21,720 Speaker 1: of when I was a poor college student living partially 270 00:17:21,880 --> 00:17:26,520 Speaker 1: out of like whatever my school vending machines had to offer, 271 00:17:27,080 --> 00:17:31,840 Speaker 1: I don't really think of um packaged muffins being a 272 00:17:31,840 --> 00:17:35,960 Speaker 1: food group, but they certainly are. We need to I've 273 00:17:35,960 --> 00:17:39,000 Speaker 1: actually been thinking seriously about this for a while. We 274 00:17:39,080 --> 00:17:44,960 Speaker 1: need to reinvent the food pyramid. Yeah. In terms of quarantine, 275 00:17:45,280 --> 00:17:52,480 Speaker 1: and maybe I think mine is like hot sauce wine. 276 00:17:53,640 --> 00:17:57,920 Speaker 1: That's it. I would love to have like a muffin section. 277 00:17:59,000 --> 00:18:05,080 Speaker 1: Oh uh yeah, my my quarantine food pyramid is definitely 278 00:18:05,240 --> 00:18:08,919 Speaker 1: like the base is just like bread and peanut butter. Uh. 279 00:18:11,359 --> 00:18:17,160 Speaker 1: It's a delicious, delicious space. And coffee. It's all floating 280 00:18:17,200 --> 00:18:19,200 Speaker 1: on a river of coffee, like the river sticks. It's 281 00:18:19,280 --> 00:18:22,639 Speaker 1: just you're right right. Coffee is a huge part of it. 282 00:18:25,000 --> 00:18:29,080 Speaker 1: And then box wine somewhere. Yeah. Yeah, like like floating 283 00:18:29,160 --> 00:18:33,760 Speaker 1: clouds of of like balloons, like hot air balloons. I 284 00:18:33,880 --> 00:18:36,200 Speaker 1: like this. I've been looking for art projects. Maybe y'all 285 00:18:37,119 --> 00:18:39,359 Speaker 1: take this up. You work on the science of the 286 00:18:39,560 --> 00:18:44,359 Speaker 1: English muffet. Okay, I'll make a ridiculous food chart of 287 00:18:44,400 --> 00:18:49,919 Speaker 1: the pyramid chart, perfect salave air. All right. We do 288 00:18:50,000 --> 00:18:52,639 Speaker 1: have a lot of history for you, we do. But 289 00:18:52,800 --> 00:18:54,479 Speaker 1: first we've got a quick break for a word from 290 00:18:54,520 --> 00:19:06,920 Speaker 1: our sponsors, and we're back. Thank you, sponsor, Yes, thank you. 291 00:19:07,880 --> 00:19:10,879 Speaker 1: So as you might imagine, tracking down the history of 292 00:19:10,920 --> 00:19:14,200 Speaker 1: any type of bread product is tricky for a lot 293 00:19:14,240 --> 00:19:18,240 Speaker 1: of reasons. But food historians think that the muffin got 294 00:19:18,280 --> 00:19:22,879 Speaker 1: started with the English, perhaps in the seventeen ish century. 295 00:19:23,480 --> 00:19:26,600 Speaker 1: The term originally referred to small yeast risen things that 296 00:19:26,640 --> 00:19:31,040 Speaker 1: were more bread like than crumpets were, yeah, crumpets being 297 00:19:31,080 --> 00:19:35,280 Speaker 1: a little bit more pancake like. Right. The word muffin 298 00:19:35,760 --> 00:19:39,440 Speaker 1: first appeared in the written record in the eighteenth century. Uh. 299 00:19:39,480 --> 00:19:43,399 Speaker 1: These things were also commonly called gems, which I love. Um. 300 00:19:43,960 --> 00:19:48,119 Speaker 1: To make them, people traditionally used muffin rings on a griddle. 301 00:19:48,960 --> 00:19:52,280 Speaker 1: Yeah yeah, like today's English muffins. Um. And And these 302 00:19:52,359 --> 00:19:55,280 Speaker 1: muffins were also likely less sweet than modern muffins, as 303 00:19:55,320 --> 00:19:59,960 Speaker 1: sugar was still pretty expensive. From um from a cookbook 304 00:20:00,000 --> 00:20:02,360 Speaker 1: called The Art of Cookery Made Plain and Easy from 305 00:20:02,400 --> 00:20:07,760 Speaker 1: seven um. There was this warning about this style of muffin. 306 00:20:08,280 --> 00:20:11,199 Speaker 1: It said, don't touch them with a knife, either to 307 00:20:11,320 --> 00:20:13,960 Speaker 1: spread or cut them open. If you do, they will 308 00:20:14,000 --> 00:20:19,840 Speaker 1: be heavy as lead. Oh, very very strongly worded. I 309 00:20:19,840 --> 00:20:21,879 Speaker 1: I love it. Yeah you you You were to open 310 00:20:21,920 --> 00:20:24,680 Speaker 1: them with a fork and only a fork. Yes, don't 311 00:20:24,680 --> 00:20:31,000 Speaker 1: you dare? Don't you dare? Meanwhile, the the word muffin 312 00:20:31,040 --> 00:20:35,240 Speaker 1: in English um possibly no one's entirely sure, possibly came 313 00:20:35,280 --> 00:20:38,560 Speaker 1: from either a German word for a small cake um 314 00:20:38,720 --> 00:20:42,359 Speaker 1: mouf or muff being muffin in the plural or or 315 00:20:42,520 --> 00:20:44,680 Speaker 1: muffin in the plural, I'm not entirely sure, in the 316 00:20:44,680 --> 00:20:49,040 Speaker 1: pronunciation there, or from an old French word for soft 317 00:20:49,160 --> 00:20:53,040 Speaker 1: or tender um mufflet, muffle, I'm not sure. I don't 318 00:20:53,080 --> 00:20:57,080 Speaker 1: know French um uh. Also a side note here, an 319 00:20:57,080 --> 00:20:59,879 Speaker 1: etymology side note. Um. I had to pull myself a 320 00:21:00,000 --> 00:21:04,040 Speaker 1: a from an extremely tempting rabbit hole about the etymology 321 00:21:04,280 --> 00:21:09,560 Speaker 1: of ragamuffin, which seems to be entirely separate, and I 322 00:21:09,640 --> 00:21:14,359 Speaker 1: love it. Oh gosh, I am gonna treat myself to 323 00:21:14,400 --> 00:21:17,440 Speaker 1: that rabbit hole later on, and I am so excited. 324 00:21:17,960 --> 00:21:26,000 Speaker 1: Were's such nerds and I love it. It was originally yeah, 325 00:21:26,240 --> 00:21:28,720 Speaker 1: well it was well, it was originally a word for 326 00:21:28,720 --> 00:21:33,400 Speaker 1: for the devil um oh wow, yeah, and like probably 327 00:21:33,520 --> 00:21:38,400 Speaker 1: Cockney based, but no one's entirely sure anyway, So I'm 328 00:21:38,440 --> 00:21:41,840 Speaker 1: I'm psycked that you bring up the devil. I I 329 00:21:41,920 --> 00:21:44,560 Speaker 1: see why you're so excited. I might go on the 330 00:21:44,600 --> 00:21:49,320 Speaker 1: same man. I'll send you a link perfect, I'll post 331 00:21:49,359 --> 00:21:55,440 Speaker 1: it for y'all to rabbit holes were all um Muffins 332 00:21:55,720 --> 00:21:58,920 Speaker 1: were a really popular item during the early nineteenth century 333 00:21:59,400 --> 00:22:01,679 Speaker 1: for those could afford a servant. It was kind of 334 00:22:01,680 --> 00:22:04,680 Speaker 1: a luxury to have the servants wake up for you 335 00:22:04,760 --> 00:22:06,920 Speaker 1: and make this food so it would be ready when 336 00:22:06,920 --> 00:22:10,320 Speaker 1: you were up for breakfast. Ah. Yes, it's still still 337 00:22:10,320 --> 00:22:12,159 Speaker 1: these these made in a in a ring on a 338 00:22:12,240 --> 00:22:16,119 Speaker 1: grittle or stovetop exactly. Yeah. But if you didn't have 339 00:22:16,119 --> 00:22:19,919 Speaker 1: a servant, there was an alternative, the muffin man. The 340 00:22:20,000 --> 00:22:25,720 Speaker 1: muffin man. Do you know the muffin During teatime, muffin 341 00:22:25,800 --> 00:22:28,879 Speaker 1: men would go through the streets ringing their bells to 342 00:22:28,960 --> 00:22:32,080 Speaker 1: alert people that they were around. They were selling muffins, 343 00:22:32,160 --> 00:22:34,600 Speaker 1: sort of like a very early precursor to the ice 344 00:22:34,600 --> 00:22:38,000 Speaker 1: cream truck. I guess uh. They were so rampant that 345 00:22:38,080 --> 00:22:41,000 Speaker 1: in the UK in the eighteen forties, Parliament passed the 346 00:22:41,080 --> 00:22:45,160 Speaker 1: law banning the bells, but it was largely ignored because 347 00:22:45,200 --> 00:22:51,080 Speaker 1: of course it was uh muffin man. Nursery rhyme originated 348 00:22:51,119 --> 00:22:54,879 Speaker 1: sometime in the eighteen twenties um and related to that 349 00:22:54,960 --> 00:22:57,760 Speaker 1: nursery rhyme. I basically cannot hear the word muffin without 350 00:22:57,840 --> 00:23:02,480 Speaker 1: thinking about Shrek and what an absolute jewel of a 351 00:23:02,560 --> 00:23:06,840 Speaker 1: human John Lithgow is. Yeah, I actually meet too. Every 352 00:23:06,840 --> 00:23:09,160 Speaker 1: time I think of muffin, Shrek is the first thing. 353 00:23:09,240 --> 00:23:14,239 Speaker 1: I think almost it's up there for sure. If if 354 00:23:14,440 --> 00:23:18,040 Speaker 1: you guys do not remember, um what I'm talking about, 355 00:23:18,080 --> 00:23:21,040 Speaker 1: there's there's a great John Letgau is playing the villain 356 00:23:21,119 --> 00:23:23,320 Speaker 1: of the piece, and there's this moment where he's kind 357 00:23:23,359 --> 00:23:27,639 Speaker 1: of interrogating, um, the gingerbread man, and yeah, and he 358 00:23:27,720 --> 00:23:29,920 Speaker 1: just leans in real close and he's just like, do 359 00:23:29,960 --> 00:23:35,080 Speaker 1: you know the muffin man. Yes, it's excellent, muffin man, 360 00:23:35,359 --> 00:23:38,920 Speaker 1: the muffin Man. It's beautiful. It's I'm doing a very 361 00:23:38,960 --> 00:23:42,600 Speaker 1: bad John Letgau right now, but I think it was 362 00:23:42,640 --> 00:23:49,160 Speaker 1: perfectly serviceable. Oh thank you, thank you. Uh. At any rate, 363 00:23:49,600 --> 00:23:52,240 Speaker 1: muffins as we know them could not happen until the 364 00:23:52,280 --> 00:23:56,720 Speaker 1: invention of modern chemical leveners. A little bit before all 365 00:23:56,760 --> 00:23:59,280 Speaker 1: of this that we're talking about, like around the sixteen 366 00:23:59,320 --> 00:24:02,879 Speaker 1: through the early eighteen hundreds, Um, there were some chemical 367 00:24:02,960 --> 00:24:06,200 Speaker 1: leveners in use. Like fancy bakers could use a heartshorn 368 00:24:06,520 --> 00:24:08,879 Speaker 1: to give their goods lift. Um. That's baker's ammonia a 369 00:24:09,000 --> 00:24:12,800 Speaker 1: k A ammonium carbonate a k A. Smelling salts. It's 370 00:24:12,840 --> 00:24:17,520 Speaker 1: a stuff plus heat levener um, but it produces ammonia 371 00:24:17,600 --> 00:24:20,680 Speaker 1: along with the carbon dioxide, so it's not ideal um. 372 00:24:20,760 --> 00:24:23,639 Speaker 1: And yes it is what people used as smelling salts 373 00:24:23,640 --> 00:24:27,080 Speaker 1: in the Victorian era. UM. Poor bakers around the same 374 00:24:27,080 --> 00:24:29,720 Speaker 1: time frame might have used pearl ash a k A 375 00:24:29,840 --> 00:24:34,000 Speaker 1: potash um, which was made from wood fire ashes and 376 00:24:34,560 --> 00:24:37,560 Speaker 1: is basically lie um. It's a it's a stuffed plus 377 00:24:37,600 --> 00:24:40,159 Speaker 1: acid levener, but it also leaves a bit of a 378 00:24:40,200 --> 00:24:44,840 Speaker 1: chemical aftertaste. The scene would start changing in the seventeen nineties. 379 00:24:44,920 --> 00:24:48,400 Speaker 1: That's when French chemist Nicolas LeBlanc um isolated baking soda. 380 00:24:48,840 --> 00:24:52,240 Speaker 1: Around the same time, UM, cream of tartar was known 381 00:24:52,560 --> 00:24:55,359 Speaker 1: UM and used, but it was this expensive byproduct of 382 00:24:55,359 --> 00:24:58,840 Speaker 1: the wine industry, and researchers did know that the two 383 00:24:58,880 --> 00:25:01,280 Speaker 1: could be combined in to a double acting sort of thing. 384 00:25:01,320 --> 00:25:05,200 Speaker 1: But yeah, altogether like out super pricy um. Both both 385 00:25:05,440 --> 00:25:09,159 Speaker 1: ingredients were super pricy um. But then kind of quickly 386 00:25:09,200 --> 00:25:12,719 Speaker 1: a couple of things happened. Around the eighteen fifties. Researchers 387 00:25:12,800 --> 00:25:17,040 Speaker 1: worked out how to industrially produce baking soda, and an 388 00:25:17,080 --> 00:25:22,000 Speaker 1: American chemist combined that new cheaper product with a cream 389 00:25:22,040 --> 00:25:25,919 Speaker 1: of tartar substitute mono calcium phosphate to create the first 390 00:25:26,440 --> 00:25:31,160 Speaker 1: baking powder that could be produced relatively inexpensively and at scale. 391 00:25:31,560 --> 00:25:36,199 Speaker 1: Um so, yeah, the Industrial Revolution gave us muffins. Well, 392 00:25:37,080 --> 00:25:44,080 Speaker 1: thanks for that, I guess, among other things. After moving 393 00:25:44,119 --> 00:25:48,480 Speaker 1: from England to the US and eighty Samuel Bath Thomas 394 00:25:48,640 --> 00:25:53,240 Speaker 1: created the first nooks and crannies English muffin, allegedly based 395 00:25:53,240 --> 00:25:56,800 Speaker 1: on a half remembered recipe for his mother's tea cakes. 396 00:25:56,800 --> 00:25:59,879 Speaker 1: He used a griddle to achieve the exterior crunchiness, and 397 00:26:00,040 --> 00:26:03,840 Speaker 1: he called them toaster crumpets m Later that year he 398 00:26:03,920 --> 00:26:06,120 Speaker 1: opened a bakery in New York City, and it didn't 399 00:26:06,119 --> 00:26:08,920 Speaker 1: take on for English muffins to catch on at hotels 400 00:26:08,920 --> 00:26:15,880 Speaker 1: and restaurants as a fancier option to toast. By eight four, 401 00:26:15,920 --> 00:26:19,600 Speaker 1: people were calling them English muffins. Recipes for quick bread 402 00:26:19,640 --> 00:26:24,320 Speaker 1: muffins were common in late nineteenth century American cookbooks. By 403 00:26:24,359 --> 00:26:28,880 Speaker 1: this time, two additional industrial things had happened. Home kitchens 404 00:26:28,920 --> 00:26:32,040 Speaker 1: were more likely to have ovens um and sugar was 405 00:26:32,200 --> 00:26:36,440 Speaker 1: much less expensive. Also around the same time, um, the 406 00:26:36,440 --> 00:26:41,399 Speaker 1: oven ready muffin tin was invented. In nineteen twenty, Fred 407 00:26:41,440 --> 00:26:45,280 Speaker 1: Wolferman started making English muffins, and yes that Wolferman, uh 408 00:26:45,359 --> 00:26:47,080 Speaker 1: I actually had to look this up, but everyone else 409 00:26:47,080 --> 00:26:49,399 Speaker 1: seemed to know who he was. But it's another brand 410 00:26:49,440 --> 00:26:53,720 Speaker 1: of English muffin is very popular today. Yes. Pinning down 411 00:26:53,800 --> 00:26:58,560 Speaker 1: the history of banana bread specifically is also tricky, but 412 00:26:58,720 --> 00:27:01,520 Speaker 1: essentially it was probably a recipe provided by a big 413 00:27:01,600 --> 00:27:04,960 Speaker 1: company or corporation to promote either the use of baking 414 00:27:04,960 --> 00:27:10,719 Speaker 1: soda and or flower and or the banana sometime between 415 00:27:10,760 --> 00:27:13,679 Speaker 1: the thirties and the fifties. I know we discussed it 416 00:27:13,720 --> 00:27:17,359 Speaker 1: in our banana episode, but a lot of these pamphlets 417 00:27:17,400 --> 00:27:21,399 Speaker 1: came out from people trying to, you know, get people 418 00:27:21,440 --> 00:27:24,800 Speaker 1: excited about buying and using their whatever they're trying to sell. 419 00:27:25,760 --> 00:27:28,080 Speaker 1: So that's probably the case with banana bread. Yeah, and 420 00:27:28,119 --> 00:27:31,359 Speaker 1: there's a lot of marketing around bananas at the time. Yes. Yes. 421 00:27:32,119 --> 00:27:36,280 Speaker 1: The American concept of breakfast, let's talk about that for 422 00:27:36,359 --> 00:27:41,880 Speaker 1: a second, right, Yeah, it transformed in the nineteen seventies 423 00:27:42,240 --> 00:27:45,800 Speaker 1: as more women entered the workforce. Since few people were 424 00:27:45,840 --> 00:27:48,440 Speaker 1: around and had the time to make and cook breakfast 425 00:27:48,520 --> 00:27:52,600 Speaker 1: at home even eat it, probably the focus shifted to convenience, 426 00:27:53,080 --> 00:27:56,600 Speaker 1: grab and go items rosen popularity, and companies began introducing 427 00:27:56,600 --> 00:28:02,960 Speaker 1: products like Sarah Lee's frozen muffins and this led into 428 00:28:03,520 --> 00:28:07,919 Speaker 1: like kind of a muffin craze um in the eighties 429 00:28:08,080 --> 00:28:11,160 Speaker 1: and uh in the nineties, And this may have started 430 00:28:11,320 --> 00:28:18,000 Speaker 1: with a Canadian chain called Marvelous Muffins in ninety nine 431 00:28:18,040 --> 00:28:22,240 Speaker 1: out of Toronto. That's muffins with three m's. I've never 432 00:28:22,280 --> 00:28:25,120 Speaker 1: heard of that and I love it me neither. This 433 00:28:25,200 --> 00:28:28,760 Speaker 1: is new to me but very exciting. Um uh so 434 00:28:28,800 --> 00:28:32,879 Speaker 1: the founders apparently started this chain up after experimenting with 435 00:28:32,920 --> 00:28:37,360 Speaker 1: these large premium muffins and other shops. They found great success. 436 00:28:37,920 --> 00:28:40,959 Speaker 1: People were like driving in for miles away going like 437 00:28:41,120 --> 00:28:44,880 Speaker 1: going like big muffins with stuff in them. Oh my goodness. 438 00:28:45,440 --> 00:28:49,000 Speaker 1: Um Duncan Donuts added muffins to their lineup. By eight 439 00:28:49,520 --> 00:28:53,320 Speaker 1: muffin shops began opening across the US and Canada with 440 00:28:53,400 --> 00:28:59,080 Speaker 1: these ever fancier, larger, more cupcakey muffins for sale. UM 441 00:28:59,160 --> 00:29:02,840 Speaker 1: Muffins got in on the like mall chain craze early 442 00:29:03,080 --> 00:29:07,000 Speaker 1: in h one and apparently this is a huge um 443 00:29:07,040 --> 00:29:10,920 Speaker 1: like nostalgia factor thing for Canadians. Again, I don't know 444 00:29:10,960 --> 00:29:12,640 Speaker 1: about it right in if this is a thing from 445 00:29:12,640 --> 00:29:18,120 Speaker 1: your childhood or whenever that that you that you remember, um, 446 00:29:18,160 --> 00:29:20,240 Speaker 1: at their peak in the mid nineteen eighties, there were 447 00:29:20,280 --> 00:29:27,240 Speaker 1: over a hundred and thirty Muffins locations. Oh wow, oh gosh. Um. 448 00:29:27,280 --> 00:29:30,960 Speaker 1: In April of nine, eight six, the Orlando Sentinel ran 449 00:29:31,000 --> 00:29:36,480 Speaker 1: a piece called popularity of Muffins on the Rise, and 450 00:29:36,560 --> 00:29:42,240 Speaker 1: it was it was reporting on recent franchises like um, 451 00:29:42,280 --> 00:29:45,240 Speaker 1: All My Muffins, which was one out of Beverly Hills. 452 00:29:45,720 --> 00:29:48,080 Speaker 1: And then they reported that the total sales of muffins 453 00:29:48,160 --> 00:29:51,200 Speaker 1: in the country was reaching towards a hundred million dollars 454 00:29:51,240 --> 00:29:56,200 Speaker 1: per year. I love that the muffins sounds so menacing. 455 00:29:58,120 --> 00:30:06,000 Speaker 1: Muffins on the rise. Um. By by the early nineties, 456 00:30:06,240 --> 00:30:10,960 Speaker 1: at least UM, it was a truth universally acknowledged UM 457 00:30:10,960 --> 00:30:13,480 Speaker 1: that muffin tops are the most important part of the 458 00:30:13,560 --> 00:30:16,880 Speaker 1: muffin um. The l A Times ran an article in 459 00:30:17,520 --> 00:30:20,560 Speaker 1: two in which the author claims to have invented a 460 00:30:20,600 --> 00:30:25,360 Speaker 1: new baked good based on this fact, muffies. If I 461 00:30:25,400 --> 00:30:29,160 Speaker 1: may quote for you who eats muffin bottoms, just about 462 00:30:29,160 --> 00:30:32,680 Speaker 1: everybody prefers the tops, which is why I invented muffies. 463 00:30:32,960 --> 00:30:35,080 Speaker 1: They're baked on a baking sheet instead of a muffin 464 00:30:35,120 --> 00:30:40,960 Speaker 1: tin and have no bottoms. You've got to appreciate the 465 00:30:41,040 --> 00:30:45,640 Speaker 1: innovation muffies. Gosh, and this brings us to the Muffin 466 00:30:45,680 --> 00:30:50,720 Speaker 1: Tops episode of Seinfeld which came out in and seeing 467 00:30:50,800 --> 00:30:54,040 Speaker 1: that episode, Um oh, I'm so happy I get to 468 00:30:54,480 --> 00:30:59,640 Speaker 1: use my Seinfeld knowledge and that episode they disagree. They 469 00:30:59,640 --> 00:31:03,440 Speaker 1: think you have to make the whole muffin right or 470 00:31:03,480 --> 00:31:05,600 Speaker 1: else it's not as good. So it's like, you just 471 00:31:05,680 --> 00:31:08,560 Speaker 1: make the top. It doesn't work. Yeah, yeah, so so 472 00:31:08,600 --> 00:31:11,440 Speaker 1: you have to cut off the stem right right, And 473 00:31:11,480 --> 00:31:15,320 Speaker 1: then they're like trying to donate the stems, and the 474 00:31:15,360 --> 00:31:18,280 Speaker 1: people working at food Pigs or whatever, like who just 475 00:31:18,480 --> 00:31:20,920 Speaker 1: who took the tops? What kind of sickle was just 476 00:31:21,080 --> 00:31:28,080 Speaker 1: giving us the bottom? And yes they're they're They're slogan 477 00:31:28,240 --> 00:31:32,920 Speaker 1: is top of the muffin to you? Yeah. I I 478 00:31:33,040 --> 00:31:36,840 Speaker 1: did not remember anything about this, but I came across 479 00:31:36,880 --> 00:31:39,360 Speaker 1: it in my research and when I when I realized 480 00:31:39,360 --> 00:31:40,960 Speaker 1: that it was the thing at the top that you said, 481 00:31:40,960 --> 00:31:43,520 Speaker 1: the top of the muffin to you was a Seinfeld reference, 482 00:31:43,520 --> 00:31:45,760 Speaker 1: I was like, oh, man, I did not beat Antie 483 00:31:45,760 --> 00:31:51,280 Speaker 1: to a Seinfeld reference. Impossible, impossible. I should have known better. 484 00:31:51,440 --> 00:31:56,160 Speaker 1: I should have known. But but of course, um, like 485 00:31:56,280 --> 00:32:00,560 Speaker 1: all trends, the muffin trend could not last. Low fat 486 00:32:00,640 --> 00:32:04,320 Speaker 1: and then low carb trends made it pretty difficult, and 487 00:32:04,600 --> 00:32:08,440 Speaker 1: yogurt and cupcakes would become the kind of it shops. 488 00:32:09,600 --> 00:32:14,120 Speaker 1: Yeah and they. Seinfeld did an episode about the yogurt 489 00:32:14,120 --> 00:32:16,520 Speaker 1: trend as well, but I think they were the show 490 00:32:16,600 --> 00:32:18,880 Speaker 1: was over by the time the cupcake trend happened. So 491 00:32:18,920 --> 00:32:22,040 Speaker 1: that was the sex and the City thing, right, Oh yeah, 492 00:32:22,080 --> 00:32:24,240 Speaker 1: oh yeah, that's sex in the city factor was huge 493 00:32:24,240 --> 00:32:29,760 Speaker 1: in the cupcake trend. Yes, anyway, all right away from Seinfeld. 494 00:32:29,800 --> 00:32:34,440 Speaker 1: Facts from now Thomas's English muffins I Love this were 495 00:32:34,480 --> 00:32:38,480 Speaker 1: imported to Britain for the first time in the nineties nineties, 496 00:32:38,880 --> 00:32:43,000 Speaker 1: where they are called American muffins. Please write in and 497 00:32:43,040 --> 00:32:48,280 Speaker 1: confirm that that's what I read. That is so good. 498 00:32:48,360 --> 00:32:52,200 Speaker 1: That is so good. A decade earlier is actually when 499 00:32:52,560 --> 00:32:55,080 Speaker 1: the company came up with the nooks and cranny slogan. 500 00:32:55,160 --> 00:32:57,320 Speaker 1: So even though it sounds old timing and like it's 501 00:32:57,320 --> 00:33:00,320 Speaker 1: been around forever, was actually in the eighties that they 502 00:33:00,360 --> 00:33:08,160 Speaker 1: can okay, h yeah um and somehow yeah, Like like 503 00:33:08,200 --> 00:33:11,400 Speaker 1: we said earlier, the muffins market is still a growing 504 00:33:11,440 --> 00:33:14,840 Speaker 1: sales category. UM. A lot of a lot of manufacturers 505 00:33:14,840 --> 00:33:18,080 Speaker 1: these days are apparently using UM food science and some 506 00:33:18,160 --> 00:33:21,080 Speaker 1: new like plant based protein ingredients to UM to try 507 00:33:21,080 --> 00:33:23,120 Speaker 1: to make them a little bit healthier, to sort of 508 00:33:23,120 --> 00:33:26,280 Speaker 1: fit them back into that grab and go niche that 509 00:33:26,400 --> 00:33:30,920 Speaker 1: they lost hold of as a as health trends changed. Right. 510 00:33:32,560 --> 00:33:35,000 Speaker 1: I wonder, I feel like there must be a muff 511 00:33:35,040 --> 00:33:44,440 Speaker 1: and I'm not considering I just can't imagine the muffin unconsidered. Gosh, 512 00:33:45,080 --> 00:33:49,720 Speaker 1: that is a good title for something unconsidered. Oh, tell 513 00:33:49,880 --> 00:33:52,080 Speaker 1: tell me more about this unconsidered muffin the ear that 514 00:33:52,120 --> 00:33:55,600 Speaker 1: you're contemplating. Oh, I just feel like there's no way 515 00:33:55,640 --> 00:33:59,920 Speaker 1: the muffin market could be that big unless I'm not 516 00:34:00,120 --> 00:34:04,960 Speaker 1: considering a muffin. I mean, I mean blueberry and chocolate separately. 517 00:34:05,000 --> 00:34:09,280 Speaker 1: Blueberry muffins and chocolate chip muffins are are both pretty popular. 518 00:34:09,560 --> 00:34:11,480 Speaker 1: And I feel like, I mean, like when you think 519 00:34:11,480 --> 00:34:14,200 Speaker 1: about like like Hostess or like Little Debbies or something 520 00:34:14,200 --> 00:34:17,280 Speaker 1: like that, definitely have little packaged like mini muffins stuff 521 00:34:17,320 --> 00:34:27,720 Speaker 1: like that. Another Steinfeld reference. Oh yeah, three for the trifecta. 522 00:34:28,440 --> 00:34:32,680 Speaker 1: Oh gosh, I mean, I don't know. I wonder I 523 00:34:32,719 --> 00:34:38,880 Speaker 1: could Starbucks and Dunkin Donuts. How popular that muffin options are. 524 00:34:38,920 --> 00:34:42,000 Speaker 1: They're they're still they're still out there. It's true, it's true. 525 00:34:42,120 --> 00:34:47,680 Speaker 1: And yeah, and and internationally too. So who knows corn 526 00:34:47,760 --> 00:34:51,920 Speaker 1: muffins corn muffins. I don't know. Oh yeah, that's true, 527 00:34:52,480 --> 00:34:56,440 Speaker 1: that's true. See that I'm just not piecing together the 528 00:34:56,960 --> 00:35:02,080 Speaker 1: tapestry that is the muffin bit. Yeah. Those Sam's Club 529 00:35:02,160 --> 00:35:05,240 Speaker 1: muffins that like are as big as your head. Uh, 530 00:35:05,480 --> 00:35:07,799 Speaker 1: I mean just size. Size alone means that they're a 531 00:35:07,840 --> 00:35:11,120 Speaker 1: major factor in the market. I'm sure. Yeah, they must 532 00:35:11,200 --> 00:35:13,000 Speaker 1: make up for like one of those counts are a 533 00:35:13,040 --> 00:35:22,239 Speaker 1: hundred regular muffins. You're right, all right, it's coming together. Well, 534 00:35:22,320 --> 00:35:25,320 Speaker 1: that is about what we have to say about the 535 00:35:25,400 --> 00:35:28,759 Speaker 1: muffin Um. We do have a little bit more for you, 536 00:35:28,800 --> 00:35:30,680 Speaker 1: but first we've got one more quick break for a 537 00:35:30,680 --> 00:35:43,759 Speaker 1: word from our sponsor. And we're back. Thank you, sponsor, Yes, 538 00:35:43,800 --> 00:35:53,399 Speaker 1: thank you. And we're back with listeners. Listener muffins. Oh 539 00:35:54,080 --> 00:35:58,200 Speaker 1: oh yeah, gosh, this is so hard to do via skype. 540 00:35:58,400 --> 00:36:02,400 Speaker 1: It is, It's all right, but we're making it work. 541 00:36:02,840 --> 00:36:09,239 Speaker 1: We're trying. Emma wrote, I just finished listening to your 542 00:36:09,239 --> 00:36:11,400 Speaker 1: Easter Egg episode and I thought I would give you 543 00:36:11,440 --> 00:36:14,880 Speaker 1: an insight on how we do Easter in Australia, or 544 00:36:14,920 --> 00:36:18,640 Speaker 1: at least how I do Eastern Australia. For the last 545 00:36:18,680 --> 00:36:21,120 Speaker 1: forty years, I've spent every Easter on the banks of 546 00:36:21,160 --> 00:36:23,799 Speaker 1: the Gulpa Creek in southern New South Wales. For the 547 00:36:23,880 --> 00:36:26,279 Speaker 1: last thirty of those years, I've been in charge of 548 00:36:26,360 --> 00:36:29,239 Speaker 1: organizing an Easter egg hunt for all the children that 549 00:36:29,320 --> 00:36:31,880 Speaker 1: camp with us. This can vary from ten children to 550 00:36:32,000 --> 00:36:35,360 Speaker 1: upwards of fifty. Now in the Northern Hemisphere Easter falls 551 00:36:35,360 --> 00:36:37,680 Speaker 1: in the lush berth of spring, but down here we 552 00:36:37,719 --> 00:36:40,600 Speaker 1: are mid autumn, on top of which the Australian bush 553 00:36:40,920 --> 00:36:44,400 Speaker 1: is not soft and gentle like a cultivated garden or park. 554 00:36:45,880 --> 00:36:49,120 Speaker 1: It is jarring and dry and dusty. I have attached 555 00:36:49,120 --> 00:36:52,040 Speaker 1: photos of the hunts over the years. I also have 556 00:36:52,160 --> 00:36:54,480 Speaker 1: to ensure the eggs are hidden early enough that the 557 00:36:54,520 --> 00:36:57,640 Speaker 1: sun doesn't melt them, but late enough that the parents 558 00:36:57,680 --> 00:37:00,120 Speaker 1: who were partying the night before get the sleep in 559 00:37:00,200 --> 00:37:02,799 Speaker 1: that they need. Also, if I leave it too late, 560 00:37:02,880 --> 00:37:05,520 Speaker 1: the ants can become an issue. Regardless of the problems, 561 00:37:05,520 --> 00:37:08,120 Speaker 1: by mid afternoon on Easter Sunday, we have the appropriate 562 00:37:08,200 --> 00:37:11,360 Speaker 1: number of kids crashing from a sugar high with sore dummies. 563 00:37:11,880 --> 00:37:14,440 Speaker 1: Another difference from the Northern Hemisphere is that we have 564 00:37:14,520 --> 00:37:19,640 Speaker 1: replaced the Easter bunny with a local marsupial, the bilbie, 565 00:37:19,920 --> 00:37:24,279 Speaker 1: so we'll have an Easter bilbie. Oh my gosh. This 566 00:37:24,360 --> 00:37:27,320 Speaker 1: year we were also gifted with three hours o TV 567 00:37:27,480 --> 00:37:30,840 Speaker 1: of it on the making of Easter chocolate from the 568 00:37:30,880 --> 00:37:33,680 Speaker 1: harvesting of sugarcane in Queensland to the eventual sale of 569 00:37:33,760 --> 00:37:37,000 Speaker 1: Cadbury Easter bunnies in the supermarket. This year we had 570 00:37:37,000 --> 00:37:38,640 Speaker 1: to stay at home and everyone was very sad, but 571 00:37:38,680 --> 00:37:41,240 Speaker 1: we still managed to eat our body weight and cheap chocolate, 572 00:37:41,360 --> 00:37:47,880 Speaker 1: so not a total loss. The Easter bilbie, that's Easter bilby. 573 00:37:47,400 --> 00:37:51,640 Speaker 1: I I need to look up pictures of this because 574 00:37:51,680 --> 00:37:56,919 Speaker 1: that sounds real adorable. Sabine wrote, I am a huge 575 00:37:56,920 --> 00:37:59,720 Speaker 1: fan of Savers since well ever, but I was truly shocked, 576 00:37:59,800 --> 00:38:03,920 Speaker 1: yes shocked, that you never had white asparagus. As you mentioned, 577 00:38:03,920 --> 00:38:06,840 Speaker 1: we Germans eat mostly the white, thick one, although the 578 00:38:06,880 --> 00:38:09,040 Speaker 1: green is getting kind of known in the last years, 579 00:38:09,080 --> 00:38:11,120 Speaker 1: but never really made it in the kitchens of the Germans. 580 00:38:11,480 --> 00:38:13,320 Speaker 1: Of course, we know a lot of ways to prepare 581 00:38:13,360 --> 00:38:16,120 Speaker 1: the white gold, as it is sometimes called. Most of 582 00:38:16,160 --> 00:38:19,200 Speaker 1: the time a true German will eat it with fresh potatoes, 583 00:38:19,440 --> 00:38:22,680 Speaker 1: thin slices of cooked and or air dried ham, and sauce, 584 00:38:22,719 --> 00:38:26,920 Speaker 1: hollandaise or even more traditional melted butter. The peel is 585 00:38:27,040 --> 00:38:29,080 Speaker 1: used to make a soup out of it. Um. Most 586 00:38:29,120 --> 00:38:31,200 Speaker 1: of the times you don't buy asparrius in a grocery store, 587 00:38:31,200 --> 00:38:32,920 Speaker 1: but either in one of the stalls in the streets 588 00:38:32,960 --> 00:38:35,040 Speaker 1: which appear out of nowhere in April to sell local 589 00:38:35,040 --> 00:38:38,080 Speaker 1: grown asparagus and later strawberries, or you buy it directly 590 00:38:38,120 --> 00:38:41,160 Speaker 1: at the producer's farm, who mostly will also have said 591 00:38:41,200 --> 00:38:45,120 Speaker 1: ham and potatoes. To buy asparagus from another part of Germany, 592 00:38:45,280 --> 00:38:48,520 Speaker 1: let alone other parts of the world is frowned upon. Yes, 593 00:38:48,800 --> 00:38:53,080 Speaker 1: we Germans love our asparagus how much. Well in times 594 00:38:53,080 --> 00:38:56,320 Speaker 1: of Corona, when the borders are closed, the asparagus farmers 595 00:38:56,400 --> 00:38:59,360 Speaker 1: were alarmed. If the borders are remaining closed, the workers 596 00:38:59,400 --> 00:39:01,640 Speaker 1: who help of a staying who are from Eastern Europe 597 00:39:01,719 --> 00:39:04,160 Speaker 1: are not allowed to come in, the vegetable will rot 598 00:39:04,200 --> 00:39:06,640 Speaker 1: on the fields and Germans will not have their traditional 599 00:39:06,640 --> 00:39:11,400 Speaker 1: spring vegetable. To avert this crisis, the German government not 600 00:39:11,440 --> 00:39:14,320 Speaker 1: only allowed the harvest workers to come by a special permit, 601 00:39:14,480 --> 00:39:17,120 Speaker 1: but flew them in, I kid you not, instead of 602 00:39:17,200 --> 00:39:20,239 Speaker 1: let them travel by road and train. One would hope 603 00:39:20,239 --> 00:39:22,239 Speaker 1: that the workers will be paid better this year, but 604 00:39:22,280 --> 00:39:26,279 Speaker 1: I wouldn't count on it. And another personal story about asparagus. 605 00:39:26,600 --> 00:39:28,240 Speaker 1: One of the first dates I had with a former 606 00:39:28,280 --> 00:39:31,800 Speaker 1: boyfriend who was American was an asparagus dinner I wanted 607 00:39:31,800 --> 00:39:34,120 Speaker 1: to cook. Since he lived next to a farm, I 608 00:39:34,160 --> 00:39:36,600 Speaker 1: told him to bring a bundle of asparagus. He came 609 00:39:36,680 --> 00:39:39,160 Speaker 1: late because he had to run around to find proper 610 00:39:39,239 --> 00:39:42,960 Speaker 1: green asparagus, which he proudly presented to be saying it 611 00:39:43,040 --> 00:39:45,800 Speaker 1: was the only bundle he could find in the whole city. 612 00:39:46,080 --> 00:39:47,920 Speaker 1: He was so proud of it, and I looked at him, 613 00:39:47,960 --> 00:39:50,800 Speaker 1: asking what the hell should I do with these green, 614 00:39:50,920 --> 00:39:54,960 Speaker 1: thin excuses of spears. Well that was over twenty years ago. 615 00:39:55,080 --> 00:39:57,799 Speaker 1: The former boyfriend is my husband now and we live 616 00:39:57,880 --> 00:40:04,360 Speaker 1: happily ever after eating white a sparagus. Since that's so great, 617 00:40:04,360 --> 00:40:07,400 Speaker 1: that's that's a great first date story. Oh that is 618 00:40:07,600 --> 00:40:12,880 Speaker 1: very very sweet. Oh my gosh, that's wonderful. I'm determined 619 00:40:12,880 --> 00:40:16,120 Speaker 1: we'll try this one day, Lauren. One day, I think 620 00:40:16,160 --> 00:40:17,839 Speaker 1: we will I think we're going to get to do it. 621 00:40:18,440 --> 00:40:21,319 Speaker 1: I'm sorry. I want this experience. I want. I want 622 00:40:21,360 --> 00:40:24,520 Speaker 1: to go to Germany and I want this experience of 623 00:40:24,520 --> 00:40:28,600 Speaker 1: of getting it from a fresh farm stand and not 624 00:40:28,680 --> 00:40:32,000 Speaker 1: being sure how to cook it. I am very excited 625 00:40:32,040 --> 00:40:37,480 Speaker 1: for that experience as well. So thanks to both of 626 00:40:37,520 --> 00:40:40,160 Speaker 1: them for writing in. If you would like to write 627 00:40:40,160 --> 00:40:43,720 Speaker 1: to us, If you have banana, bread or muffin projects 628 00:40:43,719 --> 00:40:46,040 Speaker 1: in the works and want to share us, you can 629 00:40:46,120 --> 00:40:49,080 Speaker 1: email us. Our email address is hello at savor pod 630 00:40:49,120 --> 00:40:52,160 Speaker 1: dot com. We're also on social media. You can find 631 00:40:52,200 --> 00:40:55,360 Speaker 1: us on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram at savor pod, and 632 00:40:55,400 --> 00:40:57,680 Speaker 1: we do hope to hear from you. Savor is a 633 00:40:57,719 --> 00:41:00,239 Speaker 1: production of I Heart Radio. For more podcasts from my 634 00:41:00,280 --> 00:41:03,120 Speaker 1: heart Radio, you can visit the heart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, 635 00:41:03,160 --> 00:41:05,600 Speaker 1: or wherever you listen to your favorite shows. Thanks as 636 00:41:05,640 --> 00:41:08,640 Speaker 1: always to our superproducers Styllan Fagin and Andrew Howard. Thanks 637 00:41:08,640 --> 00:41:10,160 Speaker 1: to you for listening, and we hope that lots more 638 00:41:10,200 --> 00:41:19,200 Speaker 1: good things are coming your way.