There are just two words that personify afternoon Tea in Autumn/Winter, and they are 'Crumpets' and 'English Muffins'.
Just the very mention of those words suggests cosy fires, home-made jam, and (for many) listening to 'The Archers'.
I was brought-up with Crumpets, but, amazingly, I don't think I'd ever had a Muffin before a few days ago. Why this should be, I don't know!
Anyway, I bought a pack of Warburton's Muffins. They looked to me like a flattened soft bread roll, but in fact they are very different.
Sliced in half, toasted, and spread with plenty of butter, and this Summer's Plum Jam, it was delicious.
I shan't abandon my Crumpets, but I shall certainly be adding Muffins to my shopping list.
And Lady M's Plum Jam (no pips) was the perfect accompaniment.
Above was my yesterday's breakfast.
p.s. It should be noted that 'English Muffins' are very different to those of other nationalities.
I've read about English muffins. They always looked like bread rolls, in photos. Neither of those delicacies are, available here. I could order crumpets from the British store in Athens but they'd be as expensive as a bar of gold.
ReplyDeleteAnything slathered in butter and your jam would be irresistible, even for a meat eater like me.
I'm quite surprised by how good the Muffins are. Not 'spectacular' but just very nice.
DeleteIt's the sort of thing that Eggs Benedict is served up on, half a muffin.
ReplyDeleteI always preferred toasted muffins to crumpets. Someone once served them to me untoasted. Ugh!
ReplyDeleteWatching Rick Stein's Cornwall recently, he was saying how peaceful and magical it gets in Winter around 4:00 pm just as it gets dark, when he treated himself to Cheese and Chive Scones with pear and honey and a cup of tea. And as he sits by his fire in his cozy chair, with a wry smile he says 'then I doze off to sleep.'A nice moment that many of us enjoy.
ReplyDeletePop a poached egg on top of a toasted muffin, sprinkle of salt......
ReplyDeleteSome men like Muffin the Mule but I prefer a nice crumpet smothered with butter. "Oo err missus!" as Frankie Howerd might have exclaimed.
ReplyDeleteP.S. Lidl muffins are half the price of Warburtons.