History of English muffin

The English muffin dates to the tenth century in Wales, though it is just referred to as muffin in the United Kingdom. They were originally a sour dough flat bread.

The name ‘English muffin’ has been cited in print since at least in 1795, although these might have been misnamed as crumpets.

Recipes for ‘Muffin and English Muffins’ were given in an 1851 cookbook. For serving, muffins are toasted back and front and then split with fingers by easing them apart as the joint all the way around.

Some butter place inside and the two halves put back together and kept warm. This method appears as early as 1747 and was recommended by Hannah Glasse, who said that the inside should be like honeycomb.

Samuel Bath Thomas (1855-1919) came to New York City from Plymouth, England and opened a Manhattan bakery in 1880 at 163 Ninth Avenue.

English muffins were sold at the Chicago World’s Fair in 1893, and this created some interest in the product. To capitalize on this interest, Thomas formed the S.B Thomas Company which began manufacturing English muffins.

The best-selling Thomas’s English muffins are claimed to have originated from a family recipe.

English muffins have been included in Eggs Benedict recipes since at least 1902.

English muffins received some attention during the 1970s, in part because they were considered healthier than traditional bakery foods.
History of English muffin

History of Muffin

Food History
Muffin recipes first began to appear in print in the mid 18th century and quickly caught on. By the 19th century muffin men walked the streets of England at tea time to sell their muffins. They wore trays of English muffins on their heads and rang their bells to call customers to their wares.

English muffin history dates all the way back to the 10th and 11th centuries in Wales. Early English muffins were cooked in muffin rings which were hooplike and placed directly on a stove or the bottom of a skillet.

American style muffins are 'quick breads' made in individual molds. Quick breads (chemically leavened as opposed to yeast leavened) were not developed until the end of the 18th century. This took place in America, where pearlash was discovered. Pearlash is a refined form of potash, and it produces carbon dioxide gas in dough. In 'American Cookery' (1796 - the first American cook book) Amelia Simmons published recipes using pearlash, and were exported some 8,000 tons to Europe in 1792. Baking powder was not developed commercially until 1857 (phosphate baking powder).

Three states in the United States of America have adopted official muffins. Minnesota has adopted the blueberry muffin as the official state muffin. Massachusetts in 1986 adopted the Corn Muffin as the official state muffin. Then in 1987 New York took on the Apple Muffin as its official muffin of choice.
Food History