Blueberry Buttermilk Corn Muffins — The Weekender
When my husband was little, he and his brother went to spend the night at their aunt’s house. The next morning, she made pancakes for them. Scott thought that the pancakes were studded with chocolate chips, so took a giant stack. Turns out they were filled with blueberries.
Because he wasn’t mentally prepared for blueberries, he spit out the first bite in surprise and yelled "yuck." His aunt was mightily offended and despite his protestations, made him eat the rest of the stack. He has not touched a cooked blueberry since.
What this means practically is that when I’m cooking and baking for the two of us, I take care to avoid making things that involve blueberries (it’s the nice thing to do). I dearly love a blueberry baked good, however, and so at least a couple times a summer, when blueberries are in season, I make up some treat that my friends and neighbors might like so that I can have all the enjoyment of it without eating the whole thing on my own.
Right now, my favorite blueberry baked good comes from Giada De Laurentiis’ recipe for Blueberry Buttermilk Corn Muffins. They are sweet, slightly tangy (from the buttermilk) and have the best texture. I baked off a batch recently, stashed a few in my freezer and quickly distributed the rest to my nearest blueberry fans. I’m contemplating a second batch for an upcoming brunch potluck since they’re sweet, tender and easy to make. They're truly perfect for The Weekender during high summer.
— The recipe calls for frozen blueberries, but during this time of year, it’s a crime to use anything but fresh. There are no adjustments to make; just swap them right in.
— If you hate to buy buttermilk for a single recipe, you could also stir a little milk into yogurt for a similar effect.
— Make sure to position your pan in the center of your oven. The bottoms will burn if they’re too close to the element.
Marisa McClellan is a food writer and canning teacher who lives in Center City Philadelphia. Find more of her food (all cooked up in her 80-square-foot kitchen) at her blog, Food in Jars. Her first cookbook, Food in Jars: Preserving in Small Batches Year-Round , is now available.