I was baking blueberry muffins the other day and as I reached for the baking soda, I was reminded of the first time I became aware of baking soda.
As a child, I spent a considerable amount of time just hanging out in the kitchen, pestering my mom as she cooked. I’m sure I was the cause of many a meal being a little late in arriving to the table. She was returning the little orange box to the kitchen cabinet after mixing up a batch of muffins when I asked what was in the box and what it was used for. She told me it was baking soda and she used it to keep things from burning. I didn’t really understand what she meant, I just stowed the information away for later use.
The more I thought about it, the more confused I became. Did the baking powder keep the muffins from becoming blackened little nuggets while they were baking or would they spontaneously burst into flames if the soda wasn’t used? I had no idea.
After a few weeks of pondering and trying to figure it out on my own, I realized I was getting nowhere. One would assume that I would just do the logical thing and ask my mom exactly what she meant, right? Wrong. I am not a very logical person. Too embarrassed to admit I had no idea what she was talking about, I dragged out the massive, cloth-bound Webster’s dictionary, blew the dust off it, and proceeded to look up “baking soda.” I learned that not only was baking soda used in combination with an acid (like cream of tartar or vinegar or lemon juice) to make baked goods become light and airy and rise like a hot air balloon, but it was also used to suppress kitchen fires. Since I had never seen a fire in my mom’s kitchen, I figured it must be working.
We never really know when we will pass along knowledge to others, especially younger generations. As the saying goes, little pitchers have big ears. And, though it might not seem like it at the time, the pitchers are filled with sponges, just waiting to soak up whatever wisdom you have to impart.
Many years ago, I worked in a supermarket, bagging groceries. Our store had a second-story office with a large window so the manager could keep an eye on the entire store and know exactly what was going on at any given moment. We all thought it was a little creepy.
One day, I overheard a child ask his mother who that man was in the window. Her response was perfect.
“That’s the manager. He makes sure everything in the store is running smoothly.”
I’m sure that child grew up to have a very positive view of management and entered into his first entry-level job with a healthy respect for his supervisor. He might not have had such a view had he been told that he was up there watching the employees to make sure none of them were stealing grapes from the produce department. I’m glad he hadn’t asked me.
With Easter almost here, many of us will be spending time with family and that could mean younger cousins, nieces and nephews, and grandchildren. Remember that they are figuring out the world around them and try to impart a little useful wisdom. You never know what they’ll retain, but rest assured, there will be something you say that will make a big impression.
So, you’re probably wondering how those muffins turned out. I’d love to say they were the most delicious things I’d ever baked, but that would be a lie.
When I pulled them out of the oven after 20 minutes, they were a dark brown and hadn’t risen nearly as much as I’d expected. When I bit into one it had a strong chemical flavor that really reminded me of … baking soda. I had misread the recipe and used soda instead of powder. I guess it takes more than a knowledge of the properties of ingredients to bake successfully. It also helps if you can correctly follow the recipe.
After much experimentation, this is the blueberry muffin recipe that has never failed me (as long as I use the proper ingredients). I’ve adapted it from Allrecipes.com.
Blueberry Muffins
1.5 C. flour
.75 C. white sugar
2 t. baking powder
.5 t. salt
.33 C. vegetable oil
1 large egg
.5 C. milk
1 t. vanilla extract
1 t. lemon juice
1.25 C. fresh blueberries
Preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Line 12 muffin cups with paper liners. Combine egg, oil, milk, vanilla, and lemon juice in a small bowl. Set aside.
Whisk together flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt. Pour combined liquids into flour mixture and stir, just until all dry ingredients have been moistened.
Gently stir in blueberries.
Fill muffin cups to slightly below the top and place muffin tin on a center rack in the pre-heated oven.
Bake for 20-25 minutes or until muffin tops are golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the center of the muffin comes out clean.