Muffin Mania Fan Mail

Hi Martha,
Through word of mouth, I heard that you will be re-publishing your  grandmother's gem of a cookbook. I am 36 years old, and grew up with a mother who continually made muffins from Muffin Mania. When I moved away  to university, I brought the recipe for Best Ever Banana muffins and made them for my roommates (they never lasted long!) I also wrote out the recipe in a notebook that I took with me when I taught overseas in  Thailand, Malaysia, and Trinidad. I didn't have an oven in Malaysia--but the neighbors did, even though they were bachelors who never cooked. The  deal was that I could use their oven to bake muffins--as long as I left  some behind. It was a taste of Canada overseas.

My parents moved from their home of 35 years to a condo in Burlington two years ago. My Mom was willing to give me every cookbook she owned--except  for the tattered Muffin Mania, of course! I had to make do with the recipes I had scrawled from the book on scraps of paper. Last year, my husband and I were at a local flea market when I spotted an almost pristine copy of Muffin Mania on a used book stand....for a dollar! I was thrilled. Now I can bake even more of the recipes. I couldn't believe it  when I read the Star article that the cookbook is selling for over $100 used.  

I am very, very happy that you will be re-publishing, and would love to  purchase a few copies of the book for friends. I will keep checking your  website to find out when ordering can begin.

All the best, I am willing to bet you will begin another wave of 'Muffin  Mania'!

Sincerely,
Chantal Mancini
Hamilton, ON 

Muffin Mania Fan Mail

Hello,

I am a grandmother of eight children ranging in age from 6-17 years. My freezer is rarely, if ever without some of your muffins in waiting. We are expected to have them on hand or to arrive at the different families homes when we go visiting.

 

I have variations on your basic themes and have reduced sugar in places and substituted the more healthy oils as they have become available. I also use Canola oil instead of margarine and sometimes add just a pinch of butter to it. Margarine is just a bunch of chemicals, preservatives and dyes.

 

 My book fell apart over the years and I have had it re "cirloxed" a couple of times.  The pages are "browned" and marked with comments  as to which ones were liked better and by whom.

 

Your muffins have been taken to families undergoing difficult or happy times...whatever.  I gave the book as a hostess gift during its early days.  The stories go on......

 

I wish you the best of luck with your new launch and I am planning to give copies to my children for Christmas so that they can carry on with the tradition.

 

I will go on the web to see about ordering them.

 

Cheers & thanks for the recipes,   

Jane Hanson 

Muffin Mania Fan Mail

Tonight it was by fluke that I discovered your website advertising the resurrection of Muffin Mania! Several years ago I tried to obtain copies of the original version and realized it was impossible!! My grandmother and mother both had copies of Muffin Mania and used the recipes from that book while I was growing up...my two favourite classics were the Chocolate Chip & Banana Muffin recipes, both of which I have myself made many times! I inherited my grandmother's coveted copy of the book and I continue to make muffins from it almost exclusively. The other week at work a co-worker brought in chocolate chip muffins and they looked just like the ones I make and I said so...only to find out hers were also from Muffin Mania (I believe it used to be her mother's copy). So you see, your muffins are still famous and the fact that I can recognize someone else's muffins as being from the same recipe is a good sign they are pretty good! There are lots of people who will be excited to see your book come out in print again in case their tattered copy needs a little update! Great idea :)

Hannah Badger (Kitchener, Ontario)

The Nothing Muffin

Basic Muffin Batter

I think this is the most appropriate place to start in experimenting with muffin recipes.  To this batter, add anything you have on the shelf - chocolate chips, butterscotch chips, peanut butter chips, fruit, nuts, etc.  Or add nothing and serve with your scrambled eggs for breakfast with your favourite jam or jelly.

1 c. all purpose flour

2 tsp. baking powder

½ tsp. salt

½ c. white sugar

¼ c. melted butter or margarine

1 egg, beaten

½ c. milk

Stir together dry ingredients.

Add melted butter and beaten egg to milk.

Add liquid ingredients to dry, stirring only to moisten.

Fill greased muffin cups.

Bake at 375° F for 15-20 min.

* Yields – 8 medium muffins.