The Muffin Lady: Muffins, Cupcakes, and Quick Breads for the Happy Soul
- Book Review,
by Linda Fisher, Andrew Marton
Amazon.com
Do you know the Muffin Lady? If you don't, you're in for a treat. The Muffin Lady is part cookbook, part inspiration; it simultaneously tells the story of "Muffin Lady" Linda Fisher and offers up her mouth-watering recipes for muffins, cakes, breads, and cookies. The food is great, but the story is spectacular. In 1995, Fisher--recently divorced and the custodial parent of a young child--found herself looking poverty in the eye. She responded by borrowing from the "inheritance" her mother had left her: a very versatile pancake recipe that she used to bake cakes, muffins, cupcakes, and quick breads. She loaded these delicacies into a Radio Flyer wagon and sold them door to door, eventually making enough money to stay off of welfare. When the local health department tried to shut her down, it precipitated a community uprising: dozens and dozens of letters began pouring into newspaper editorial pages, an anonymous donor gave her the money necessary for a license, and the volunteer fire department offered her free use of their health department-approved kitchen to prepare her goods. Along with recipes for tasty treats such as Pecan Loaf, Marble Walnut Brownies, Blueberry Upside Down Squares, and the baked good that started it all--the World Famous Pancake Batter Muffin--readers can share Linda Fisher's legacy of riches handed down by her mother.
Book Description
When we think of an inheritance, thoughts of money or some jewel-encrusted heirloom usually spring to mind. Well, Linda Fisher's inheritance did get her out of financial trouble, but it was nothing more than one of her mother's recipes and the values with which she was raised.Suddenly finding herself divorced and struggling to support her son and make ends meet, Linda, rather than ask for public assistance, vowed to take care of her own. She dug up her mother's pancake recipe and modified it into a muffin batter.Then she loaded up her red Radio Flyer wagon and hit the pavements of Westminster, Maryland, selling mouthwateringly delicious muffins -- blueberry, peach cobbler, black bottom, burnt sugar, apple dumpling, to name just a few -- and soon became a local favorite, known around town as "the Muffin Lady."Just when business started booming, however, the Carroll County Health Department told her to pack up her wagon because she didn't have a "department-approved commercial kitchen." Well, Linda wasn't going to take that lying down! She fought back, and the whole community came out to support her. Finally the Westminster Volunteer Fire Department offered her the use of their state-approved kitchen, where she still bakes muffins today.In The Muffin Lady, Linda shares the legacy of riches that was handed down by her mother. These gifts are useful both inside and outside the kitchen -- recipes whose ingredients include sugar, flour, perseverance and pride.
About the Author
Meet Linda Fisher, the Muffin Lady of Westminster, Maryland. She's a single mother whose delicious recipes for muffins -- and for a life lived with pride, dignity and values -- make The Muffin Ladyÿ so much more than just a cookbook.Linda has been up and down and up again, but her mother's teachings (as well as her simple pancake recipe, which Linda adapted into the secret behind her mouthwatering muffins), provided her with everything she needed.Replete with fabulous recipes as well as anecdotes, reminiscences and the wit and wisdom of Linda's inimitable personality, The Muffin Lady is a book for all of us who have ever licked a batter-covered spoon, waited impatiently for the oven timer to ring or carried with us throughout our lives the lessons and wisdom of our mothers.
Excerpted from The Muffin Lady : Muffins, Cupcakes, and Quick Breads for the Happy Soul by Linda Fisher, Andrew Marton. Copyright © 1997. Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved
Morning Glory MuffinsYield: twelve 2-4-ounce muffins or six 6-8-ounce muffinsThis was truly a creation born of necessity. I had a little bit of carrot, a little bit of apple, some pineapple, and a lot of walnuts. I needed another muffin "flavor of the day," and money was tight. Since I couldn't buy additional supplies, I made the muffin with the ingredients I had.I hauled out a bowl and started dicing and chopping up the apples (with peels) and grating the carrots, and I rescued some of the pineapple from the pina colada muffins. Using the apple peel is a story in and of itself. The peel is the most valuable part of the apple, and for the longest time I had been discarding it. Then a fellow chef pointed out how much money, not to mention vitamins, was going from my peeler into the trash.As for the name, it might just as easily have been called "everything but the kitchen sink" for all the ingredients it had. But my assistant wondered if she would have to handwrite on every muffin label that this was a "walnut, carrot, pineapple, apple" creation, so I came up with the name Morning Glory after the beautiful, bright yellow-budded flower that seemed to sum up the brightness of this muffin's flavors.2 cups flour2 teaspoons baking powder1 teaspoon baking soda1 teaspoon salt1/2 teaspoon cinnamon1/2 teaspoon nutmeg1/4 teaspoon mace2 carrots, grated1 apple, grated1 cup oil1 cup sugar2 eggs1/4 cup crushed pineapple1/4 cup chopped nutsPreheat the oven to 350 degrees. Sift together the dry ingredients. Place the carrots, apple, oil, and sugar in a bowl and mix with an electric mixer until well blended. Add the eggs one at a time. Gradually add the dry mixture. Fold in the pineapple and nuts. Spoon into a wax paper-lined 12-unit muffin pan and bake for 30-35 minutes.Heavenly Layer Cookies Yield: 2 dozenThis is another bar item transformed into a cookie. This one in particular is distinguished by its layers. You might call it a "blondie."The graham cracker crumbs make for the real bar, added to a cookie crust. When you throw in the chocolate and butterscotch chips, you get pure decadence. I just love that butterscotch--and all the remembrances of childhood that spill from it. And the shredded coconut is also a throwback to my mother's coconut cake, topped with that real old-fashioned seven-minute icing. It was, and remains, the real deal.4 tablespoons butter or margarine, melted 1 cup graham cracker crumbs 1 cup (6 ounces) chocolate chips1 cup (6 ounces) butterscotch chips1 cup shredded coconut1 cup chopped walnuts1 can sweetened condensed milkPreheat the oven to 350 degrees. Pour the butter into a 9 by 13-inch pan Press the graham cracker crumbs onto the bottom of the pan. Add the chocolate and butterscotch chips, coconut, and nuts in layers. Drizzle the milk over the top. Bake for 30 minutes. Cut into squares.
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