Wednesday, July 29, 2009

After Much Anticipation...


Summer's warmth has truly wrapped us in her damp embrace this week, with air so wet it feels as if you could literally wring the water out of it with your bare hands. Today was blessedly cloudy and foggy, the hot sun shrouded behind a soggy, gray cloak. No rain yet, though I know it's coming.



Early this morning...and by early I mean 8 o'clock, it is still summer after all...we headed out in the drizzly dampness, to Hokum Rock Farm for some seriously serious blueberry picking. They were open today from 8-10 a.m. or until picked out, indicating to me that they suspected that they could indeed be picked out well before then. We arrived around 8:30, a small army of seven eager pickers, fierce competition for any berry picking family, I think. The parking lot was already full, as was the over-flow section. We managed to squeeze into a spot near the edge and hurried towards the netted-in enclosure that contained several perfect rows of berry bushes. As we picked our way down the line we found plenty of ripe berries, some small, some large, that dropped easily from their stems into our waiting blue pint-sized baskets. Our fingers (and shirts) stained, and trays heavy, we headed towards the check out area.


All told, we picked twenty pints of the berries, for a grand total $60. Hopefully we will be able to use them up. If I lived here year-round, I would definitely freeze some, but as it is, we will have to preserve the berries in jams and sauces and eat the rest up in baked goods, on our cereals and just by themselves...in THREE days. I think that tomorrow will be spent in the kitchen putting up a large quantity of them so we can bring them back to Southern California and have a taste of Cape Cod summer waiting in the pantry.


I tried a new blueberry muffin recipe right when we got home, as we were hungry from our efforts (and our lack of breakfast). It called for brown sugar, but I think not quite enough. Next time, I will probably add a bit more. They were, however, perfectly tender and bursting with freshly-picked berries. On second thought, our two dozen muffins were gone not much after they came out of the oven. So perhaps they were sweet enough after all? I'll let you decide. One hour, farm to table...the way I wish I could eat all the time.


Hokum Rock Brown Sugar Blueberry Muffins

2 C flour
3 T brown sugar
3 t baking powder
1/2 t salt
1 egg
1 C milk
1 stick butter, melted
1 C fresh blueberries

turbinado (raw) sugar for sprinkling

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.

Whisk dry ingredients together in a large bowl. In a smaller bowl, whisk together the egg, milk and melted butter. Add wet ingredients to dry ingredients at once, mixing just until combined. Carefully fold in blueberries and spoon evenly into greased muffin tin. Sprinkle heavily (about 1 large pinch each) with turbinado (raw) or white sugar.

Bake for 18-20 minutes, or until golden brown and cooked through. Serve warm, with butter.

9 comments:

Humanitarian Librarian said...

Alison,

So sorry I missed today's visit. I wish you and your family a safe journey back to the West Coast, and hope that next year will be an Indigo Girls fest for all of us. Enjoy making BB jam tomorrow!

Love,
Lisa

Eli said...

more sugar? What, are you trying to make a cupcake instead of a muffin?

Alison said...

Eli, Eli, Eli....you of all people should understand that muffins are really just cupcakes without frosting that somehow pass as acceptable (and healthy?) breakfast food! Sigh. ;)

And Lisa, we missed you too. Hope you do well in your course and that we see you again soon.

Cape Cod Judy said...

The BEST Muffins, Alison! Thank you for saving 5 (only FIVE!) for the four hungry late-comers. Next time, for such a delectable treat and the 16 ravenous souls panting for the season's first such delectable treat from Hokum Rock Farm (via your - and Jessica's - kitchen), you will have to bake at least three dozen! An average of one and a half per is hardly enough....

Half Baked said...

They look perfect to me! Freshly pick blueberries are divine:)

Tara said...

Now, how can I decide if they are sweet enough without tasting them? Next time, please FedEx to Turkey! Blueberries are something very rare in this country. I can find them frozen, but not fresh. Hope everyone enjoyed the muffins - they look fantastic.

Cristine said...

Hey Alison! Mekia gave me your site and I am finding it awesome! Kyle had Braydon over last night and we made blueberry muffins and blueberry pancakes this morning. Only wish I could have picked them myself! Sounds like you are having a wonderful summer, hope to see you when you get back!
Cristine Butler

Alison said...

Thanks Christine! Tara...next time, I'll for sure send you some. ;)

Linda said...

I have literally almost OD'd on blueberries this year. They have been so good!