MUFFINS AND THEIR ROYAL ASSOCIATIONS

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXIII, 21 November 1928, Page 3

MUFFINS AND THEIR ROYAL ASSOCIATIONS

lUSTomi'.AIi SIDELIGHTS George I. 11m lirsl llanovi riaii king In villi' England, was a mull'm enter, and he declined .In patronise any bul those which were prepared in the royal kitchen. Ooorgc 11., 100. retained a special rook, wlioso sole duly wan to prepare miillius for his august uiastor, and George 111, while ready |n place an ordn.r with n London linker, was so afraid of flying in Hie fare of the casi-irnu custom of i 1h- Court. Lhal. he dare not do as he would have liked to have. done. His successor, George IV, however, elected to deal willi a certain establishment located in a small sheet in the heart of central London; and when William IV. ascended the throne he also patronised the happy baker. Finally, the fortunate man. after serving two kings,

was appointed mull'mmaker to t k hieen Victoria : and ill due course King Edward gave him Ins cusloni. When I'.dward VII. was laid :il res I, King George recognised the loiigeslnhlishcd claims „f ||'„, hllle shop, and graciously accord- ,.,] ||,o pleased proprietor Ins patronage. Although tin' homely liritish baker ;m ,| his wife who inherited the business hail lo eke oul I he Koyal patronage by selling inullins u, regular eusloniers.' (heir hope and pride were eenlred in the orders which, during Hie late iiuLunin. winter, and early spring mo „lhs, reached Minn From I'.iickiiigliani Palace. As a ride, Ihe Royal cook .lasnatched a scullion lirsl Hung in Ihe morning will, the order, so that the nmdins could reach Ihe Kings liveo'clock tea-table in Ihe freshest possible slate. . . Then! are several ways of making nmllilis, each recipe being of considerable antiquity. The. following is the one employed for the Royal table, lluingredients are, one quart of milk to cverv lio/- compressed yeast, a table

spoonful of Hour, and half Ihe quantity of will. The milk is well wanned before being poured over the yeast. As soon as ihe mixtures begins to ferment the (lour is added, Ihe whole being stirred till a soft dough is formed. The concoction is then covered by a. cloth and left till it rises, when it is cut into pieces and rounded lo it diameter of two and abalf inches. The niuHlns are next placed in a two inch layer of Hour on wooden trays, returned to Ihe oven, and allowed to rise (ill they become almost globular in shape. The browning process is an operation requiring considerable, delicacy of I rentnieiil. The ni'illins are laid on a hot plate ,-,iid baked (ill (hey are slightly browned, every care, being taken that both sides acquire the same tint. If Ihe baker is careless the browning may be overdone, (bus ruining (he taste of (he. ninHill. The I loyal niulliu is toasted before a clear /ire, divided by being nulled open, buttered we'll on the. inner side, put together again and halved.