Magog Muffins at Gog Magog Hills

"Magog Muffins at Gog Magog Hills" - bit of a tongue-twisting mouthful to say but more of a munchable mouthful to taste. The first muffins are available from today at Gog Magog Hills Farm Delicatessan

We are profiling the "healthy option" muffins - although a few chocolate varieties will likely force their way on to the menu over the next few weeks, as is their wont (especially "chocolate orange" which is currently steaming in the kitchen). Let us know what you would like to try as you sup that luscious coffee in the delicatessan. Available today are Carrot & Poppyseed and Apple Streudel.

Feedback welcome. (If you are on twitter we would love to see you @MagogMuffins)

Muffin Art - Apricot & Almond

Sweetness and Bright

Almost shocked by the sweetness of East Anglian Carrots at the moment - so fresh, so crisp, so scrumptious. Low carbon footprint too, with such a short time and distance from harvest to home.

Combined in a muffin with a sprinkle of blue poppyseed they are September sweetness personified. These guys don't need cream cheese or vanilla to feel complete. They laugh in the face of sugar.

(Buy extra carrots though, as they seem to disappear between front door and kitchen, running the gauntlet of friends and family. The Beagle is complaining too - they are even munching down the carrot tops that are normally her perogative).

No orang utans were harmed in the making of these muffins....

No, the orang utan is not munching a Magog Muffin but neither are the muffins metaphorically munching orang utans. The eponymous seed of the 'Oil palm' is finding its way into so much of our diet and orang utan forest is being chomped up by acres of oil palm plantations, beating out the biodiversity. To make sure no palm oil gets into the goodies that we pack into the muffins we monitor the "no palm oil" site (follow on twitter @kusasi) and check concerns on any ingredients back with manufacturers. One of the main culprits is chocolate so we are watching that closely and enjoying palm-oil free enterprise such as the Chokolit Company. So 'Double chocolate' muffin, although not calorie-free can at least be conscience-free. Ethical eating and happy orang utans is what we mean by ethical good taste.

















(Thanks to @AvelingArtworks for permission to use this painting of "Riang" - a name which means 'happy' in Bahasa Indonesia)

Introducing.... Midi Muffins

A maxi-muffin is a meal in itself. Mini-muffins just touch down on your taste buds. Our solution would make Goldilocks squeal with delight - the Magog midi-muffin is moist, munchable and "just right".

Enclosed in our hand-crafted 'petal' wrappings, these 'Apple streudel' muffins contrast the tartness of Granny Smiths with a honey and oatmeal crunchy topping. All grown within an apple's throw of Gog Magog Hills Farm Shop and Delicatessen. Fall treats in store. Shortly to be in store anyway.

Guess the taste...

.... a fresh batch of tasty muffins, brushed with a tangy topping. But which type of muffin are they?

First correct guess qualifies for a free muffin.... (except you @houndpup)

And are there muffins still for tea ...?

On reflection, the muffins started appearing more regularly at Sunday tea as an affordable treat in the recession. It was a comforting recollection of village life that John Betjamen conjoured up with ".. stands the church clock at ten to three, and is there honey still for tea?" With us it was muffins.

Then they started to impose individual personalities. 'Lemon Tea' was at once sweet and astringent; 'Double Ginger' was infused with crunchy chunks of spicy pleasure; 'Your very good health' offered a winter immunity boost with chewy apricots and revitalising goji berries. The elegant 'Cambridge Blue', bursting with blueberries and poppy seeds, represented the spires on the horizon.

Soon they insisted on moving beyond the confines of the family table. Trademarked as "Magog Muffins - ethical good taste' they are guarding their credentials, insisting all ingredients are organic, fairly traded and as locally-sourced as possible. With that pedigree they have found a friendly niche at Gog Magog Farm Shop and Delicatessen and you can catch up with them in the cafe there from next month. We'll try to keep up with their story so check back here to see what's new in the life of mouthwatering Magog Muffins.