Southern Biscuit Flour makes fluffy blueberry muffins

I haven't had a breakfast this sweet and fluffy since I found out that Krispy Kreme doughnuts are legally but not actually devoid of trans fats.


My friend Karen introduced me to her (and now my) version of the Jordan Marsh Blueberry Muffins recipe when I rented a room from her during graduate school. There are lots of variations on the web, but we use 1 1/4 cup of sugar, 2 1/2 cups of blueberries, and no vanilla.

For this batch made during Eat Local July, I used Southern Biscuit Flour from Newton, NC. This all-purpose flour has just 3 grams of protein per quarter cup, instead of 4 grams like the flours I usually use 50/50 in this recipe: Whole Foods all-purpose and King Arthur white whole-wheat. Less protein means less gluten means lighter baked goods.

What's local in this breakfast? Flour, blueberries, milk, eggs, peanut butter, plus cantaloupe

What's not? butter (alas!), sugar, baking powder, salt, plus tea

Starting the day right with a healthy, local breakfast

It took me about 15 minutes to make breakfast this morning and it will take my Taster about 5 minutes to do the dishes. Seems like a big time investment in this rushed world. But while cutting up the pepper and onion for the eggs, I wondered how many parents will do "anything" for their kids, but not make them a breakfast that will keep them awake in school. Or how many adults doze at work, or spend money on diet shakes, medicine, and doctors, when the answer may lie simply in cooking a few minute a day.

What's local on that plate: eggs, yellow pepper, onion, basil, stone-ground corn meal, asiago cheese, tomato. I forgot to put in the garlic, so it wound up in the stoup.

What's not local: olive oil, salt, pepper.