Patrick Georgie - Muffins: [sweet & savory comfort food]

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Following the success of our first book, Colorado Cookie Collection, a friend at the Tattered Cover Bookstore in Denver suggested we write a muffin book. It wasnt until after agreeing to write the book that we realized the only thing we knew about muffins was how much we loved them. With the help of friends and families, we spent a year researching, experimenting with and tasting hundreds of muffins until we came up with the best. After a recipe was selected it was sent to Texas to be tested in home kitchens at a lower altitude. Fortunately, we found that altitude had little effect on our recipes if the oven was preheated and adjustment was made in cooking time (see Helpful Hints). From these we selected a variety of recipes for you that are not only easy to make, but also taste delicious.

During this great muffin project we came to the realization that in many ways our approach to baking differed. Mother Earth, Cyndi, cooks from scratch and is one of those incredibly organized cooks who does those wonderfully domesticated things in the kitchen. She is the one who grows her own fruits and vegetables, always has cookies in the cookie jar, and can feed an army of teenagers in fifteen minutes. Georgie, the Queen of Easy, who thinks of herself as an efficient assembler when it comes to cooking, buys most everything canned, sliced, diced and shredded from the grocery store. She thinks it helps the economy and, most importantly, leaves time for curling up with a good book.

In spite of our differences, we found that both of us have a real desire to write cookbooks that are used, not just shelved. We wanted Muffins to be one of those books. Sitting at the kitchen table one afternoon, we outlined the features necessary for a great, easy-to-use cookbook for the Cyndis and Georgies of the world. It didnt take long to decide that a cookbook, to be well used, must have recipes with the most basic instructions and ingredients, include baking tips, appeal to the new cook as well as to the most experienced, and look fantastic. What better cookbook than Muffins?

We feel that the collection of recipes we ultimately included in Muffins and the format we chose to use have made this muffin book one of a kind. Not only is it a wonderful addition to your own cookbook library, it also makes an excellent gift for any Cyndi or Georgie.

Enjoy your Muffins and happy baking! (Image C and D)

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